To Regain What's Been Lost
by 101speedsketch
Summary: The Dark Lord's dead and Harry's living it up till he gets a letter from Gringoots. A fabled cloak. A phoenix. An old castle. A Dark King's wand. Can Harry deal with all these things? Read and review please Im a new writer so I'd love criticisms !
1. Chapter 1

Eeshan JoshiPd.6

English 6-10-09

Freehand Story

_**Harry Potter**_

The sun shone mercilessly over the houses of Privet Drive. The windows were thrown wide open in the hope of luring a breeze into the homes. Deprived of their car-washing and lawn-mowing duties, the inhabitants were forced to remain in their houses. Suddenly, a crash was heard from inside Number Four.

"Dudley! What ever were you doing on top of the refrigerator? You know what happened last time!" a voice yelled. Petunia Dursley, the mother of the household, came bustling into the kitchen followed closely by her husband, Vernon Dursley, both of whom were wearing an exasperated look on their faces. The crash also awoke another inhabitant, an inhabitant who was kept invisible to others because of his strange powers. The young boy jolted awake. How long had he been asleep? For a moment the boy remained where he was, listening to his aunt, uncle and cousin argue. Then a large brown owl flew in gracefully through the window and landed on the bedpost. Immediately, the boy crossed the room and deftly untied the letter which was attached to the owls left leg. With fumbling fingers, he unfurled the letter.

_Dear Harry James Potter_

_Congratulations once again on defeating Lord Voldemort. Unfortunately the Battle of Hogwarts took a great number of lives. This left us with the wills of many to be read and the contents of the wills to be distributed. We would like you present for a few of these readings as you are mentioned in them. The wills are as follows:_

_-The Will of James Potter and Lily Potter_

_-The Will of Albus Dumbledore_

_-The Will of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Lupin_

_-The Will of Fred Weasley_

_-The Will of Bellatrix Lestrange_

_We hope you will arrive at Gringotts Wizarding Bank located in Diagon Alley to receive your items. If you are agreeable to this then please arrive promptly at Gringotts Wizarding Bank at 3:00 PM today. We thank you for your cooperation. Congratulations once again._

_Sincerely,_

_Griphook_

_Vice President and Undersecretary of Gringotts Wizarding Bank_

Harry was simply stunned. He sat down on the bed, still staring in utter disbelief at the letter in his hands.

"Wow." He said after a while. "This is so odd. One, I was kept in the dark about these wills. Two, I have to read _five_ wills. Three, Bellatrix Lestrange, _the_ Bellatrix Lestrange left me something in her will. And four, Fred Weasley left me something as well! What do you think of all this?" he asked the owl. It simply hooted and ruffled its feathers. Harry nodded wisely, as if knowing exactly what it was thinking. "Well I suppose I should go to them then. When is the meeting scheduled again?" he asked, glancing at the letter. He received a jolt. "Merlin, the meetings today! And I'll never be able to get there in time!" Then Harry heard a clatter behind him. Turning around he saw his most prized possession, his beloved Firebolt broomstick, fall to the floor. A grin crept across Harry's face as he got an idea. Rushing downstairs, Harry strode into the kitchen where the Dursleys were still arguing. Harry saw a fallen fridge with its contents spilled all over the floor, his uncle Vernon with his foot on the side of the fridge, His aunt Petunia with a mop wiping up the mess, and Dudley engaging his father in a heated argument about why the fridge had fallen in the first place. Harry strode in calmly as if he saw this type of thing everyday and spoke to Vernon with clear determination.

"I've been called to Gringotts for the readings of a few wills I'm mentioned in. The meeting's at three and its only two o' clock right now. I won't make it in time going the muggle way so I'm going to fly," he paused at the stunned faces of his relatives as he said the last four words. "So I can get there on time. I just thought I would inform you."

"Wills? Some of your people have left you something?" asked Vernon, his eyes shining with a greedy glint.

"Yes a few _wizards_ have left me some things and I'm going to pick them up." And with that Harry began to walk upstairs. As he reached the top step he called back, "Oh don't expect me to come back either!" Slamming the door, Harry stuffed his knuckles into his mouth to stop himself from laughing aloud. He could only imagine the disbelieving look on his aunt and uncle's faces. After a silent laughing fit, Harry put on his best cloak and a schoolbag that belonged to Dudley. Dudley complained that the bag had gotten too small for his big books to fit in and his parents had bought him a new one and given Harry the old one, but Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley needed space to stuff even more Twinkies into his bag. Grabbing his Firebolt, Harry strode downstairs and walked out into the backyard, ignoring the others. His aunt, uncle, and cousin curiously followed him outside, peering at him closely from behind the patio door. Harry glanced back and said, "You wanted to see how witches and wizards fly? Let me show you." And with that Harry straddled his broomstick. The handle vibrated and hummed in his hands as if it were eager to get back into the air. Harry lunged forward and the Firebolt shot into the sky. With a whoop, Harry pointed his broom towards London and flew away.

About an hour and a half later, Harry arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. He got off his broom and adjusted the straps on his bag. Walking in, he nodded at Tom, the old barman, who smiled widely and offered Harry a free drink. Harry made his way through the empty tables and reached the bar. Tom looked simply delighted to have Harry in his bar and continually offered Harry drinks. Harry simply declined and said, "No Tom I'm sorry but I don't drink you know that. But I would like to ask a favor from you." Harry said, leaning in closely.

"Anything Mister Potter." Tom said, grinning.

"If anyone asks, you didn't see Harry Potter. You through you did but you unmasked him as a poser and threw him out of your bar. Can you do that for me?" Tom simply nodded and began wiping a glass. With a polite nod, Harry walked through the back door of the Leaky Cauldron, and tapped 7 bricks with his wand. The bricks began to move and shift, eventually forming an archway that led into the bright and colorful place that was Diagon Alley. As Harry walked through, the bricks in the archway began to move again till they became the wall they were before. Harry ignored all the fans that asked for his autograph and strode meaningfully to Gringotts. The two goblins escorted him inside, shooting glares at anyone who came near them. Once inside they locked the doors and waited there. Smiling at the goblins, Harry strode to the main desk, where an old and wizened goblin stamped and signed papers. He looked up as Harry came forward.

"Master goblin, I am Harry Potter. I realize I am late to a meeting with the goblin Griphook and I was hoping you could direct me to where the meeting place is held." Harry stated formally. The goblin simply nodded and pointed with his quill at a door at his back. Harry strode around the desk and opened the door. He eyes met a strange sight. Ten scrolls lay neatly in a pile on a desk. A goblin, whom Harry assumed was Griphook, sat, checking the clock on the wall every few seconds. An ornately carved dagger lay between the goblin and an empty chair. Harry strode in silently and sat down on the chair while the goblin's back was turned. When he turned back, the goblin jumped a little then smiled.

"Master Harry, you are late." The goblin stated, frowning in mock disappointment.

"Yes well what am I to do? I'm hindered by so many fans." Harry laughed.

Smiling again, the goblin grabbed the scrolls and lay them out in a neat line on the desk. In a serious manner, the goblin spoke.

"Master Unknown you must first prove you are Harry James Potter, current resident of Number Four Privet Drive. Please offer a blood sample that may prove you are indeed the aforementioned person and not an imposter." said Griphook, pointing at the dagger. Harry nervously took the dagger and placed it on his wrist, looking at Griphook to see if he was doing anything wrong. Griphook shook his head and silently pointed at the tip of his other finger. Understanding the message, Harry pricked the tip of his finger without hesitation and pressed his slightly bleeding finger on a piece of paper. The paper burned a bright red color and left behind ashes that formed the word _'true'_ on the table. Griphook nodded and brushed the ashes away with a napkin.

"You have proven yourself to be Harry James Potter, current resident of Number Four Privet Drive. Master Potter, you will now read the wills of certain people in this room. All information that is disclosed will remain between me and yourself. The choice to reveal that information to others is your choice. Would you like to state any questions or claims pertaining to the wills?" Griphook asked. Harry simply shook his head and sat on the edge of his chair. Nodding, Griphook continued. "Master Potter you will now hear the will of James Potter and Lily Potter. This will has been recorded in this Pensieve for you to hear while you read along. Please submit your wand. This is so no tampering can be performed on the will itself. Your wand will be returned to you at the end of this meeting." Harry licked his lips and passed his wand over to the goblin, who took it and placed it on a white handkerchief. Turning back to Harry, he tapped the Pensieve with his fingers. Immediately, a life-size apparition of James and Lily Potter appeared out of the Pensieve. Harry turned to face them, staring into his mother's and father's faces. His mother spoke first.

"Harry my son. If you are hearing this then we are most likely dead. Voldemort has been killing many people on his quest for power and James and I figured we should leave everything we own to you so you wouldn't have to fight for it later. I've always thought about having a well mannered boy for a son. I know you are well mannered and I know you are brave and kind and respectful. And Harry I love you." At this James grinned and tousled his hair. Then he spoke in a deep voice.

"Harry my dear boy. I regret that we never got to do anything fathers and sons usually get to do be it in the wizarding world or the muggle world. I've always told Lily that you'd become a great Quidditch player and that you'd be the biggest prankster the world has ever seen. I don't know if these things are true and I regret that I'll never find out. But son, if you're still fighting Voldemort, I want you to use everything to your advantage. This is war and you can't show any mercy. I know I never did whenever I threatened Snivellus with shampoo." He grinned at that and his wife slapped him on the arm playfully. Both of them smiled and James continued. "Just know that we love you Harry."

The apparitions disappeared and Harry wiped his eyes. Griphook silently handed a handkerchief over to Harry who took it with a word of thanks and wiped his eyes. Once he regained his composure, Griphook continued in his formal voice.

"Master Potter you have heard the will of James Potter and Lily Potter and have understood what they have said have you not?" he asked. Harry nodded again.

"Master Potter I will now read the items you have been left from James Potter and Lily Potter." He said, unfurling a scroll. Straightening it out on the desk he read aloud.

"Master Potter, from Lily Potter you have received her engagement ring, her wand, 250,000 galleons from her last salary check, 500,000 galleons from a trust fund, 1,000,000 galleons from her personal Vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, a necklace, and access to her personal vault at anytime. Deceased Mistress Potter's vault has been transferred into your name. Do you understand what you have received and do you have any objections or questions to make?" Harry shook his head and placed the handkerchief on the table. Griphook glanced at the handkerchief and went back to the scroll, taking another breath.

"Master Potter, from James Potter you have received his engagement ring, his wand, 500,000 galleons from a trust fund, 5,000,000 galleons from his personal vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, a necklace, access to his personal vault at anytime, and an order to pay—" The goblin broke off abruptly, staring at the scroll in shock.

"What is it? An order to pay what?" Harry dared to ask.

"An order to pay the goblin Griphook a sum of 2,000,000 galleons for being a good account manager and a better friend to the Potters." The goblin whispered quietly. He then placed his first three fingers on his head and whistled out a strange tune. "That was a goblin's oath of truthfulness. If I am lying right now I ought to be burning in blue flames. That I'm sitting before you tells you that I do not lie about the last request of Deceased Master Potter." Said Griphook, in answer to Harry's questioning look.

"Now we shall continue the reading of the wills. We shall now read the will of…" This went on for a good part of the day. Harry was starting to get bored despite the fact that he had received large amounts of money and gifts from his dead friends and family. The only time he perked up to listen was when he was given the key to the Vault of Gryffindor, the key to the Vault of Merlin, the Wand of Ionius, the Cloak of Starlight, Dumbledore's books, access to Viroid Castle, and a dragon egg that was charmed only to hatch for Harry. The bag proved to be very useful because Harry knew he could not carry all of his wands and keys along with a dragon egg to some castle that lay near the Atlantic Ocean. Carefully, Harry placed the several wands he had received along with his own in the bag, tucking the keys into a small pouch given to him by Griphook underneath them. He wrapped all of them in the fabled Cloak he had gotten and then placed the more important looking books in the second pocket of the bag, leaving the rest in Dumbledore's vault. Picking up his broom, Harry apparated directly to the castle and felt his jaw drop in awe. How was it possible that a castle this large and magnificent had been missed by muggles? Harry ignored this fact and walked inside. Harry searched the castle and found the kitchens. Opening the door, he was shocked to find over a thousand house elves asleep in their beds. _No wonder the castle is so clean. These house elves have been here forever cleaning up waiting for someone to come along and rule them I suppose. I just wish they had better beds to sleep on._ Harry thought. The minute he finished with the thought, mattresses popped up underneath the elves jolting them all awake. They rubbed the sleep from their eyes and were amazed to find the mattresses on which they slept and the fluffy white blankets in which they were all wrapped in. They saw Harry in the doorway and immediately cried, "Master!" attacking him with trays of a wide variety of foods and drinks. Harry gave a yelp of surprise as he felt his legs give way from underneath him. He found himself seated in a comfortable armchair and was suddenly transported to the main hall, the house elves still pressing trays of food on him. Harry wished he had a table and was shocked to find one appear right in front of him. The elves suddenly stopped clamoring and placed the trays on the table, disappearing with a snap of their tiny fingers. A few elves remained to clean the windows, or mop the floor, or dust off the statues. Harry ate in complete silence. He was afraid that if he said anything the elves might rush back and start shouting their responses. Nonetheless he needed company and called the nearby elves over to him. They rushed forward and bowed saying, "Yes Master Harry?"

"I need someone to talk to. Would any of you be willing to sit down with me at this table and talk to me while I eat?" Harry asked in a small voice, expecting the explosion of voices and rush of activity anytime. He shut his eyes and grimaced waiting for the response but none came. Cracking an eye open, Harry found the elves horrorstruck, gazing up at him fearfully with their tennis ball sized eyes. Harry relaxed and looked around.

"Master," said one house elf, tugging his T-shirt, "It is forbidden for house elves to sit with their masters—with their masters as _equals_." whispered the elf. The other elves nodded vigorously.

"Okay then. Enough is enough." Said Harry, his anger rising. Standing up he raised his voice and yelled, "I want all the house elves in this castle to come here at once!" In a flash, the thousand house elves appeared. They watched Harry closely as he made an enormous pile of clothes next to his chair with a wave of his wand. Then Harry turned to them all and said loudly, "Now you all have an order to obey. You can either take a piece of clothing and leave this castle, or you can all sit with me as _equals_," Harry spat the word out, "and continue to serve me. I expect an answer by tomorrow morning. How many of you are there?" Harry asked.

"One thousand and sixty three house elves Master Harry." An elf squeaked.

"Good." Harry waved his wand again at the pile of clothes and it shrank a little. "Now there are only 1,063 pieces of clothing in that pile. If any are missing I shall know some have left. Do not worry. If you leave then I won't hold it against any of you. Good night." said Harry forcefully. He walked over to the fireplace and grabbed some Floo powder. He threw it into the fire and watched as it turned green. Grabbing his bag he stepped into the fire and yelled, "The Burrow!" In a flash Harry was gone, leaving the stunned house elves staring at the fire.

Harry flew out of the fireplace and landed hard on his knees. He grimaced and he could feel the beginnings of a bruise coming on. Opening his watering eyes, Harry spotted Molly and Arthur Weasley, his parent figures, staring at him. George and Ginny Weasley were howling with laughter at the table, Ron Weasley's face was covered with soup, and Hermione Granger was shaking with repress laughter.

"Hey what happened to Ron? Why's his face covered with soup?" asked Harry, standing up.

"Well dear, you came out of the fireplace so suddenly that Ronald, who was spooning some soup, jumped and…well…yes." She finished weakly, peering at Harry curiously. Harry laughed at her expression knowing what she would say soon.

"No Mrs. Weasley I'm not hungry at all but I'd never pass up the chance to eat your marvelous cooking. And to answer the question you all will ask me later, I needed to get away from Viroid Castle."

"Viroid Castle?" asked Ginny. She had been looking at him in a dreamy sort of way once the hilarity died down.

"Yeah it's where I live now."

"Well do sit down dear and tell us all about it." said Mrs. Weasley, steering him by the shoulders into an empty chair. She immediately set another pot down on the stove and began to cook onion soup. At once the pot began to steam as she pointed her wand at it. "Oh just place your bag anywhere dear, we'll deal with it later." She added, looking at Harry glancing around with the bag in his hand. Harry nodded and said, "I have something to show all of you by the way."

Opening the bag, he pulled out his wand, his fathers wand, his mothers wand, Gryffindor's wand, Merlin's staff, which had been shrunk down to wand size, and the Wand of Ionius. He then pulled out the Cloak of Starlight and placed the wands and staff on top of it. The he pulled out the books he'd taken from Dumbledore's vault and placed those on a corner of the Cloak. Only Hermione's eyes grew wide with awe as Harry expected. Hermione knew nearly everything so it was no surprise that she knew about all of these items.

"Harry!" she squealed with delight. "That's the Wand of Ionius! And the Cloak of Starlight! Oh how did you get those? They were rumored to have disappeared!"

"Umm excuse me? I think we're all wondering, including Harry, just what exactly these things are." George asked with a raised hand. Hermione gladly complied.

"The Wand of Ionius is a very powerful wand. It belonged to Ionius the Shadow, who was the greatest dark wizard who ever lived. Not only was he the one who made the Unforgivable Curses, though at the time they were just normal curses, but he also invented ways to bypass them as well! His wand is made of bronze and the core is wyvern heartstring. Legend says that Ionius's wand turned on him when it realized he was using the curses he made for evil. It made itself disappear off the face of the earth and hid itself deep in the core of the planet. I don't know how you came to have it. The Cloak of Starlight is a cloak that grants the wearer any power he or she desires. The wearer can become invisible or have the strength of a hundred men…anything they want. The only downside is that it makes you absolutely ruthless. Only a very solid and pure mind can control the effects of the Cloak. It also works in much the same way an Invisibility Cloak works only that you don't have to cover your entire body with it. Oh Harry this is wonderful! How did you get these things? And I have to examine all the rest of the wands as well." She said, holding out her hand. Harry passed the wands over to her.

"Hmm…this is made of birch and has a core of gryphon feathers." looking at the Wand of Gryffindor. "I've never seen a wand with gryphon core before. Who's wand is this?" she asked.

"Gryffindor's." Harry replied, grinning at the stunned faces of everyone. Even George was at a loss for words. "Yep, its Gryffindor's. I got it—no. Later. Right now I'd like you to examine the other wands and see what you can infer."

Hermione grinned and picked up James's wand. "This one is made of elder and had a phoenix feather core. That combination is really powerful though not as powerful as Ionius's wand. Who's was this?"

"My dad's." Harry said quietly. The table went deathly silent. Hermione smiled and said, "Well your father had a very good wand and he was a very good wizard. I'm sure of it." She said sweetly.

"Thanks Hermione. What about the rest?" Harry asked. Hermione picked up another wand and after a minute of two said, "I'm not too sure about this one but I'm certain it's made of elm. I think the core is dragon heartstring too. That's a typical combination. Who used this one?"

"My mother used that one. She apparently had two wands but the other one broke in a duel so…I was left with this." Harry said with a small smile.

"What do you mean 'left with this.'?" Ron asked curiously. Harry just grinned deviously.

"Later Ron." He said. Ron nodded and looked back at Hermione expectantly. Picking a wand at random, she picked up Harry's.

"Oh of course. Holly and phoenix feather. How could I forget?" she said sarcastically. The people at the table laughed. She selected the last wand, which was actually Merlin's staff in its shrunken form. Harry grinned, positive she wouldn't be able to tell what it was. He was not disappointed when a frown crossed her face.

"Give up?" Harry asked innocently.

"Harry for some reason I can't tell what this one is made of or what the core is. All I can do is measure it but that doesn't give you a clue as to how strong it is."

Harry grinned and said, "Here let me see. Maybe I can do something."

Hermione wordlessly handed the wand over. Harry stood up and held the wand in the middle. Shaking it twice, he shouted a spell. _"Revelium!"_ The wand began to grow and the screeching sound of bending metal could be heard. Eventually the wand grew as long as a staff. The screeching sound stopped and the staff was suddenly covered with gold. At the tip of the staff was a hand was carved in gold. It looked as it if were about to flip a coin except that instead of a coin, a small gold phoenix was perched on the index finger. As soon as Harry touched it, the phoenix came to life and bit his finger affectionately. With a shout of surprise, Harry dropped the staff.

"What happened Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked. His kind face shone with concern. Molly, who was attending to the onion soup, looked over, puzzled. George and Ron had pulled out their wands instinctively and were now putting them back in their pockets. Hermione was simply staring at Harry as if he'd gone mad.

"It—it bit me!" Harry said, knowing that Mr. Weasley was considering putting him in a ward at St. Mungos.

"No really! Look…" Harry said, picking up the staff again. This time the Weasleys and Hermione leaned in and watched the bird closely. As soon as Harry touched it, it snuggled up against the tip of his finger and cried softly. Then with a slightly louder cry, it flew off the finger and in a brilliant flash of light turned into a life-size phoenix which landed on the table in front of the stunned group.

_Greetings Master._

"Master?" Harry asked. The others looked at him quizzically. "Wait you can talk!?" Harry exclaimed.

_Yes Master I can talk. And you needn't speak your words. You may think them and I shall hear them. We are connected now as one. I am Sykes, your phoenix._

_I have a phoenix? _

_Yes Master. I will do whatever you say without question or objection._

_Well then here's an order for you…stop calling me Master and call me Harry._

_But—_

_You said you'd do whatever I say._ thought Harry, immensely amused.

_But—_

_You also said you'd do it without question or objection, _thought Harry, overriding Sykes again.

_But—_

_And you're objecting,_ Harry thought again, laughing aloud. The group before him simply stared as Harry stared at the bird and the bird stared at Harry for none of them could hear what was going on.

After a few moments, Sykes remained silent. Then:

_May I speak now?_

Harry chuckled and thought _Of course Sykes._

_I cannot call you by your first name. It would not by my place. I am your servant and you are my Master._

Enraged, Harry frowned. His temper must have shown because Ron called out, "Oy birdie. I don't know what you're saying to my friend but you have four wands pointing at your head. I suggest you fix whatever you've done."

Sykes took a small step back and looked at Ron and the others. They looked very determined to hurt the bird if Harry did not calm down. Sykes looked back at Harry.

_It isn't my place_ he said.

_Then leave me alone! Go find a master who takes pride in ruling over others! I don't think Merlin wanted to rule over others and I have absolutely _no_ idea why he agreed to let you call him 'Master'. All I know is that unless you start calling me 'Harry' then I refuse to be your master!_ Harry screamed through his thoughts. Sykes winced the minute he started yelling and bowed his head in shame. Then after a few minutes, in which Harry refused to even look at the bird, the Weasleys stared at Harry and Hermione stared at the bird, Sykes spoke up again.

_Alright…Harry. I agree on your terms to be your phoenix, to do your bidding whenever you ask of it, to help you in anyway I can, to sacrifice my life for you in dire need, and to avenge your death, pain, or suffering whenever you can. I shall protect you Mas…Harry._

Harry smiled and said, "It's okay guys. See I've been having issues with my house elves about calling me master. I told them to either sit with me at the table as equals or take clothes that I conjured and leave the castle. Oh by the way I inherited Viroid Castle from Bellatrix."

Everyone present except Sykes flinched.

_Who is this Bellatrix person M…Harry? Oh this will be hard for me to give up calling you Master._

_Okay I'll ease up on you. You can call me Master a few times just don't do punish yourself if you forget to call me Harry okay? Just apologise. If you call me as a friend we will act like friends. And Bellatrix was a very evil witch. She's dead now. She was a very evil and very powerful witch with lots of skill but no sanity. She worked for the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort who was hellbent on becoming invincible. He made seven Horcruxes and spread them out. Last year my friend Ron, the one who threatened you for which I'm sorry for by the way, and my friend Hermione, the girl with the bushy hair, hunted these Horcruxes down and destroyed them and eventually I killed Lord Voldemort._

_Alright Harry. I will apologise if I forget. I remember Horcruxes…at one time even Merlin considered making a Horcrux. He battled a powerful Necromancer and was about to die. He considered making a Horcrux so he would survive but I convinced him not to. Eventually Merlin won. Is Ron always so…rash? And is Hermione not well? She seems to be Petrified. As do all of these other red headed humans. Why is that Harry?_

_Hold on._ Harry thought. Then he said, "Guys, I'd like to invite you all to Viroid Castle. Unfortunately I don't remember the address so you'll have to Floo yourselves in. Feel free to come anytime I'm the only one there so far. I'd love for you all to come over and join me. And Invite anyone else you'd like. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fluer, Gabrielle, Monsieur and Madame Delacour, Neville, Mrs. Longbottom, Luna, Mr. Lovegood, and Victor Krum are to be invited However I cant go to all of their places today since I have a _ton_ of work to do plus get acquainted with my new phoenix, Sykes. Sykes, this is Molly Weasley. She has been like a mother to me.

_What is wrong with your own mother Harry? Is she not well? I can heal her._

_No it's not that. She's dead Sykes…She's dead. So is my father._

Sykes remained silent for a few minutes. A tear dropped from his eye as he gave a soft musical squawk.

_I am sorry Harry. I shouldn't have asked._

_It's quite alright. We'll get to know each other better when we get back to Viroid Castle okay?_

_Okay._ Sykes walked over to Mrs. Weasley, who appeared very frightened yet at the same time awed. Sykes dipped his head into her hand and snuggled. Mrs. Weasley and the rest smiled as the tension was released.

"And this is Arthur Weasley. He has been like my father." Sykes regarded Mr. Weasley for a minute and produced a Black and Decker toolset along with a block of wood for Mr. Weasley, who gave a cry and lightly hugged the bird.

"This is Ron Weasley. He is the friend I told you about. My best friend since I came to Hogwarts."

"Sorry about yelling at you mate. I didn't mean anything by it." Ron mumbled.

Sykes winked at Ron and shook himself roughly. After a moment Sykes stepped back and there on the table in front of Ron was a phoenix feather quill.

"Ron, Sykes says that the quill he gave you is special. It won't cheat on tests or anything but if you ask it a question the answer will present itself to you in your head so you can write it down." Harry said.

"Wow! Thanks mate!" And Ron too hugged the bird.

"And this is Hermione Granger, Sykes. She's another one of my best friends."

Sykes raised his head to the ceiling and sang a long note. After a while, he stopped singing and looked at Harry.

"Wow. Hermione you're going to love this. Sykes just gave you the golden edition of every book you've ever wanted. He says they're lying on your bed right now and he doubts that you can read them all by tonight." said Harry with a small smile. Hermione's eyes grew wide with awe and Harry could tell she was itching to rush upstairs and start reading. However she thanked Sykes and bowed, touching her pinkie and ring fingers you her throat. Sykes backed away in apparent surprise and looked from Hermione to Harry.

_She knows the Pact of the Fates?! Where did she learn that?!_

_The what? Is it offensive to you?_

_No Harry of course not! It is in fact the equivalent of her making the Unbreakable Vow only she doesn't make a promise. In short I see into her soul and read her fate. In turn, if I look into her soul and see her fate I am obliged to show her mine and ultimately yours as we are both connected. Long ago when I was first born, the phoenixes and humans fought over total control over magic. Eventually a human saw a baby phoenix on a battlefield. Already disgusted with the death of the phoenixes and humans around him he decided to keep it, to nurture it till it grew. He tried to gain its trust and said, "I can give you naught but passage to my soul and a glimpse of my fate." The phoenix responded in kind and thus the Pact of Fates became a ritual amongst phoenixes and humans who wished for the other to trust them. I trust you with my life and you trust me with yours but only because we are Master and Servant. She is completely unattached and shows she trusts me completely! _

_Well don't leave her hanging. Do something Sykes._

_Of course Harry._ And with that, Sykes dipped his head and touched Hermione's forehead with his beak. Immediately a magical barrier went up around them both and after a minute or so, Sykes broke contact. Hermione looked very happy and even Sykes was a bit more jumpy.

_I know it isn't my place to ask but what did you see Sykes?_

_You see what I see. Hence it is your place to ask. She will marry the human named Ron Weasley and she will harbor children with him! This is most glorious news! We must celebrate!_

_Sykes…hate to burst your bubble but humans celebrate the marriages _after_ they are performed. Not before. _

Sykes simply looked around and thought _What bubble?_

_Nothing it's a human phrase which means I hate to contradict you._

_To burst someone's bubble means to contradict them?_

_Yes exactly._

Sykes stayed silent for a few moments in which he stared at Harry. Then he thought _You have much to teach me in this new world Harry._

Harry laughed and said, "This is Ginny Weasley, Sykes. Another very close friend."

_Close friend indeed_ thought Sykes with amusement ringing in his voice. Harry laughed loudly. Sykes looked at Ginny who looked back at him, neither scared, nor determined, simply looking at the bird before her. Sykes jumped into her lap and placed her hands palms up on the table. Jumping back on the table he closed his eyes and hummed. A moment later, two beautiful rings appeared in her left hand and a gold tiara in her right.

"Sykes says that you'll know when to use them. Until then hold them close and keep them safe." said Harry.

"Thank you Sykes." Ginny said. Then she leaned in closer to hug the bird and behind his eye she whispered something.

Sykes laughed aloud in his head. Harry who heard it asked him what was funny.

_Oh Harry this human is particularly amusing but not in the cruel way. Her emotions about you are confusing. She does not know if she loves you or not but she does know that the rings and tiara I gave her are to be used at her wedding. She dreams she will marry you someday. Quite amusing yes?_

Harry smiled and said to the group, "Well, invitations to you all and please invite the other people I mentioned. I need to go home and see the condition of my house elves. Remember the name is Viroid Castle." And with that Harry began to pack up the Cloak, the wands and the Staff into the bag. He still hid the necklace and engagement rings from the group. Gathering his bag, he leapt into the green fire and yelled, "Viroid Castle!" with his phoenix perched on his shoulder.

Once he arrived, the house elves assembled and helped him up. They were all wearing either a sock, or a glove, or some other article of clothing that Harry had conjured before he'd left. Assuming the worst, Harry wished up a chair as he was falling and caught himself in it.

"Yes?" he asked them. "What have you decided? I'm afraid I can't wait any longer. I need to know. Are you all leaving and finding new masters or are you all going to stay and be equals with me?"

"Sir we wish to be equals with you which is why we have worn the clothes you produced sir. If we are to be equals we much dress like equals." A house elf called from the back. Harry smiled widely.

"Good," he said happily, "Call me Harry or Mr. Potter."

"I'm afraid that is out of the question sir."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"House elves must call their Masters, 'Master'. We _must_ call you 'Master Harry' or 'Master Potter' else we will be magically forced to leave and never be hired by another household again. It is the law of Elven Magic sir. We must follow it sir." Squeaked a house elf gravely.

"Oh well. I suppose you can call me Master Harry then." Harry sighed. The elves cheered and brought him more food which he politely declined saying he'd already eaten before he arrived and was just looking to get to know his new friend, Sykes. The Elves greeted Sykes and brought him a large bowl or honey, which Sykes greatly appreciated. After his dinner, Sykes and Harry retired to bed. It was very late and they wanted to rest before they woke up early tomorrow.

_But I still haven't had the chance to get to know you better Sykes!_

_Your body requires rest, that is true, but not your mind. Your mind will still stay attached to me and we may still speak. _

_Will I remember any of what we talk about in the morning?_

_Aye you will as will I._

_Well then…what's your favorite color?_

_Bright orange or golden yellow. And you Harry?_

_Green or light purple. What is your favorite food?_

_Honey of course! I was immensely pleased when the elves brought me a bowl of honey. What about you Harry?_

_Well I will eat _anything_ that Mrs. Weasley makes. Her cooking, in my opinion, is the best. No house elf can rival her._

_The woman with the red hair who was your mother figure?_

_Yes that was Mrs. Weasley._

_But you told me her name was Molly! Don't lie to me Harry._

_I wasn't. Saying 'Mrs.' or 'Mr.' before a name means you're acknowledging an elder._

_But you are far more powerful than they are in your magic! I could sense it._

_No not the power of your magic. The number of years you have lived. They are older than me and that means I have to use 'Mrs.' or 'Mr.' to show I'm being respectful._

_I apologize. I'm ignorant of the ways of humans._

_It's fine. So what kind of music do you listen to?_

…_What is music?_

_How do you not know what music is? When you sing, you're making music._

_Phoenixes don't sing! What ever are you talking about Harry?_

_But…when you sing…no I mean when you make sounds come out of your mouth._

_Oh that! That's a phoenixes way of connecting to his magic. That's not singing. We never sing. Yes we know what it is but we never sing. _

_Well we humans love the way you connect to your magic because it sounds amazing. It sounds like music. The next time you're connecting to your magic, listen to yourself okay?_

_Yes Harry. Now what is your Animagus form?_

_I don't have one._

_What?! But you must have _at least_ one! How come you don't have one?_

_What do you mean at least? It's possible to have more than one form? And I don't know why I don't have one. I'll have to learn will you teach me?_

_Yes of course! Merlin had nine forms and Gryffindor had four._

_Really? That's amazing…could you teach me to become any animal I like?_

_Yes I can. I _am_ a phoenix._

Harry laughed in his head.

_What's so funny?_

_Nothing you just made a joke!_

_What is a joke?_

_Something that makes others laugh. I'll show you back at my school okay?_

_Okay. Now tell me. You can have up to thirteen forms. What would you have them be?_

_I can pick right now?_

_Yes you can. What would you like to become?_

_Well I've never really thought about it. What do you think?_

_Well I would suggest the Wyvern, the Water Dragon, the Phoenix, the Gryphon, the Merman, the Basilisk, the Raptor, the Lion, the Cheetah, the Fox, the—_

_Aah! Enough! I suggest we start with the wyvern first._

_Well there are many types…which one would you like?_

_Ugh…circles within circles._

_What do you mean Harry?_

_I mean that there are so many choices to choose from just for basic forms of Animagus. Then those basic choices have more choices in them. Hence the term circles within circles._

_That is the first human phrase I understand completely. But you haven't answered my question…what kind of wyvern?_

_What kinds are there?_

_Fire is most common as anger is the emotion that is most easily awakened. Fire represents anger. Earth is second most common. Earth represents determination and that is the emotion that is also easily awakened though not as much as anger. Water is not as common as the others. Water represents peace and calmness as these are emotions that are hard to achieve let alone control. And Lightning is by far the rarest of all. There are only four Lightning Wyverns in the world and only two people who can change into Lightning Wyverns._

_What is the emotion though Sykes?_

_The Lightning Wyvern is represented by love. Not love as in the love Ginny feels for you but the love the Weasley humans feel for you as their familiar. I sense you have a lot of love for those humans as do you—_

_As do i…?_

_As do you for me as the closest friend you've had. _Sykes said quietly._ Thank you Master. Thank you._

_Now what did I say about calling me master?_ laughed Harry trying to get over the emotional situation. Harry knew Sykes had just read his mind, but was hoping to ignore it.

_Harry you do not know the true power of what you have done. You've given me reason to survive, reason to live with you and serve you to my fullest potential. Our bond is even closer than that between Merlin and myself._

_Wow._

_What is wow? I have heard you say it many times. If it a profanity?_

_Oh no. it's a way to show amazement. When something is truly out of the ordinary you say 'wow' to show you are impressed._

_I see. That is very interesting._

_I'm glad you think so. Now answer this question. If we are bonded does that mean our magic is stronger?_

_Yes Harry. If you read Merlin's notes you will also learn the many spells, shields, and curses he's made. They are quite useful and can be used by those sticks all you humans carry._

_They are called wands. I think I'll go check out Merlin's vault and see what's in there. I might as well go to Gryffindor's Vault as well._

_I shall accompany you. Would you like me to conceal myself in my Gold form or would you like me to reveal myself?_

_Why hide? You are a beautiful phoenix and a good friend. I don't hide my friends. Stay like this._

_Thank you Harry. I despise that gold state so much._

_Well from now on you shall remain in this form unless it is absolutely necessary to hide. _

_That is wonderful news. But Harry I do believe it is time for you to awaken._

_What? We've only talked for a few minutes!_

_Time moves at a much faster pace when the bodies of bonded phoenixes and humans are at rest. In short…what you consider to be a few minutes is actually several hours when you are asleep. _

_What time is it?_

_Time? You mean what hour of the day?_

_Yes Sykes. To ask someone for time means to what hour of the day it is._

_I understand. And to answer your question, it is the hour of three._

_AM?_

_What?_

_AM means the sun hasn't risen yet. Basically the hours are divided in half. We have learned that there are twenty four hours in a day. So we divided the first half of the day into twelve and the second have into twelve. The first half is known as AM ad the second half is known as PM. So tell me now…what time is it?_

_It is the hour of three in the PM._

_What? Oh no I should have woken up seven hours ago! What if there are guests? _Thought Harry, diving out of bed and jumping into the shower.

_What are guests?_

_People who come visit your house._

_I understand._

_Do you think you could go downstairs and find them and somehow tell them I'm late? Tell them I overslept._

_What does that mean? Overslept?_

_It means you slept for too long or past the time you meant to wake up at._

_I will tell anyone who has arrived._

Harry leapt out of the shower and put of his clothes in a hurried manner. Drying his hair with a charm, he went downstairs with his bag, determined to show the people who had arrived his gifts.

Sykes was sitting there on an empty chair with the Weasleys, Hermione, Fleur, Victor, and the Lovegoods. The Longbottoms had not yet arrived, and Harry decided to entertain his guests while they waited. He didn't want to repeat the story over and over again. Harry asked the house elves to bring any games that the castle carried. Surprisingly there were a good number of games to choose from, both muggle and magical. While Victor and Ginny pored over Battleships, Harry and Luna played Exploding Snap. Mr and Mrs. Weasley were playing there own game of Exploding Snap but with a muggle set of cards. George was simply reading a book of muggle jokes. Bill and Fleur snuggled on the loveseat, ignored by everyone else out of courtesy. Sykes simply sat on Harry's shoulder, asking him questions about the games. Suddenly, in a burst of green flames, the Longbottoms arrived through the fireplace. Everyone quickly got up and greeted them, the games forgotten. Sykes asked _Harry who are these people and why do you say they have long bottoms? Their bottoms look normal to me._

Harry mentally laughed aloud. Then he thought _Oh Sykes you make me laugh. I'm not saying they have long bottoms that's their last name! The Longbottoms! The young man is Neville Longbottom ad the elderly witch is Augusta Longbottom._

_Do you call her Mrs. Longbottom then?_

_Yes! I'm glad to see you're learning!_

_Thank you._

"So everyone's here then." Harry said, causing everyone to look at him. Harry pulled up a chair and sat down. He then began to speak again. "You all might have heard that the contents of a few wills have been released. Some of those went to me. I received things from a great number of people who have now left us. I'd like to show you all the things I received."

And Harry grabbed the backpack and immediately, a table appeared out of nowhere, placing itself directly in the middle of the group. Unfazed, Harry pulled out all the items from his bag including the necklaces, the engagement rings, and the pouch with the keys.

"Harry how did you do that? The only wizard I've known who can do wandless magic is Dumbledore and even he had to at least say the incantation. How did you do that?" Hermione asked excitedly. Harry knew she assumed he had tapped into some large magical power in himself and was hoping to learn how to do it.

"Hermione, this castle is charmed to automatically produce whatever the owner wishes for. I could wish for a hamster," and a hamster popped into existence on the table, "or a dog," and immediately the small hamster was replaced with a tiny puppy that blinked innocently at the group, "or anything else I want. It's quite useful really." Harry finished. He then pulled out the Cloak or Starlight, the Wand of Ionius, The Staff of Merlin in wand form, Gryffindor's wand, His parents' wands, his own wand, the necklaces, the engagement rings, and the pouch with the keys. Harry sat back, saying, "Well feel free to play around with these. However I doubt the wands will work as well for any of you as they do for me." The group eagerly picked up items at random. Hermione squealed with delight and harry knew he was in for another surprise. He looked at her and found her looking at him with the engagement rings in her hand, an excited look on her face.

"What is it Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione held out the rings and pointed at the two gems that were set in the rings.

"Harry those are blood rubies! And the designs are made from solid silver. The rings themselves are made from gold. Obviously these Rings were used to store some energy or magic or some type of spell, curse, or charm in them that would activate at a certain time. Have you put these rings on?"

"No I haven't. Here pass them over I'll put them on now and see what happens."

Hermione passes the rings over from across the table. Harry took them and tried to put the ring through his ring finger but his finger met with some invisible force that stopped his finger from putting the ring on. The same thing happened with his other ring.

"It won't work Hermione. The rings just won't let me put them on. There's some sort of magical barrier that won't let the ring go around my finger. Here you try."

Harry passed the rings back to Hermione who tried to put them on, but ti no avail. The rings were passed around and eventually were passed back to Harry with everyone claiming they were useless for the placed the rings back in the pocket in the bag, clearly disappointed that the rings did absolutely nothing. The necklaces were again passed around and Harry discovered that inscribed in the windows of the lockets were the words _"For your true love alone."_Thinking the same spell had been cast on the necklaces, Harry placed them in his bag with the rings as well. Harry held onto Merlin's staff wand in his lap as the other's were passed around and inspected. As usual Xenophelius Lovegood had a polite debate with Hermione as to the attributes and materials used in making the wands. Mr. Lovegood blatantly refused to believe Hermione's predictions, stating that each wand was made from the horn of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack with the core being made from the saliva of the nargles. Harry and the rest found this theory completely nonsensible but being at a castle and all made them feel as if complaining would be very disrespectful. Finally, after nearly an hour of bickering, Ginny ended the debate by asking them to either step outside and continue their talk or let it go. Reluctantly, the two stopped arguing and passed the wands they held onto the next person. Harry knew what Ginny had done was rude but he was grateful nevertheless.

_Harry I sense someone coming. I think it is one of your house elves._

_Thanks Sykes._

A moment later, a house elf walked through the doors carrying a large tray of food on his head. He served the meals and began to walk out when Harry asked him to join them. The house elf glanced fearfully at the other witches and wizards seated around the table before staring back at Harry.

_Harry I do believe that he is afraid of the others here. He has accepted that you and him are equals but he is not sure about sitting there with other witches and wizards whom he has never met._

_But that's absurd! He needn't fear my friends!_

_Yes but he does not know that. Why don't you confirm it with these humans and then ask the elf to sit?_

"Do you guys mind if one of my house elves joins us?"

"Of course we don't mind. Wish him up a chair and a few extra plates would be nice too I suppose." said Hermione. Everyone else nodded and smiled in agreement. The frightened little elf relaxed and nervously climbed up the chair and seated himself down. Snapping his fingers he produced a cushion for himself to sit on so he could at least see what was on the table. The group turned back to the items at hand and began to discuss them again. The elf made an involuntary action where he reached for a wand being passed around but pulled back instantly. This went unmissed by Harry who kindly pulled out his own wand and placed it in front of the elf who looked at it, horrified. Immediately, he jumped off the chair and began to bow over and over again, repeating his words. "I apologize Master Harry I apologize! I was not supposed to reach for a wizards weapon and tool! I apologize!"

Harry simply looked at the creature and picked him up by his shoulders and placed him back on the cushioned chair. The room had gone silent. Harry sat back down on his chair and said, "If we are equals then you don't have to apologize for anything. In fact you don't even have to ask to see any of these things. So go ahead, pick up the wand and when you're done seeing it, pass it on. Okay?" Harry asked.

The elf nodded and picked up the wand. His fear was quickly replaced with interest as he played around with the wooden stick. He produced many delightful things out of the wand, amazing everyone around him. Great wizards like Dumbledore had to strain to produce and maintain many spells at once yet here was a simple house elf who could do just that without a wand or an uttered syllable! The elf had a happy smile on his face which soon disappeared as he noticed everyone watching him with interest. Silently, he placed the wand back on the table, and slid it over to Ginny, who was seated to his left. This time the Cloak was passed to him and the elf gave a shout of surprise.

"What's the matter?" asked Hermione.

"Why this is the Cloak of Master Starlight the Fifth taken from the Goblin Overlord Gorrak the Bloodthirsty by Starlight the First. Oh I never thought I would live to hold this cloak again! This Cloak is indestructible yet it is as light as a feather. It can conceal the wearer or make them appear larger than life. Each strand in the Cloak has been charmed to maintain the magic of the other, each strand supporting the others to keep the Cloak as it is. None but the true owner of the Cloak can access its powers. It is imbibed with basilisk venom and those who take it by force will be killed through contact with it." The elf spoke with enthusiasm but finished rather weakly as he had run out of things to say.

"How did you know all that?" Hermione asked, amazed. The idea of someone knowing more than Hermione was unprecedented.

"My great great great grandfather was the House elf of Starlight the First. Starlight won the Cloak in a duel and took the Cloak home to show his family and heirs who eyed it with greed. Jealously, Starlight had the Cloak pulled apart strand by strand and drenched each strand in basilisk venom. Then, with gloves, the workers spun the Cloak, charming it so that its powers would only work for Starlight and the son he chose. It would continue till the Starlight line was completely erased. Master Harry, you are a descendant of Starlight the Fifth!"

"I am?"

_Well I knew you had a certain air of royalty about you but this is just strange Harry._

_How so?_

_Because Gryffindor was related to Starlight the Fifth. He was his brother. When Gryffindor didn't get the Cloak, he decided to step away from the family name of Starlight. He instead threw away all his riches and wealth and went to live with a wise hermit by the name of—_

_Gryffindor._

_Exactly. Gryffindor learned from the hermit all about peace and Gryffindor returned to the city. He became a soldier in the armies and marched upon an old castle. Seeing his friends in the opposite armies, he lay down his arms surrendered himself only to them, and asked for their forgiveness. The friends repented for they knew he had changed. Eventally they started a school._

_Wait…Godric Gryffindor was actually a Starlight who adopted the name of Gryffindor and founded the school with Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin? _

_Yes but what concerns me is…_

_Is?_

_What concerns me is that Merlin discovered the name of the hermit. It was not Gryffindor. The hermit was actually Starlight the Fourth. So was there actually a Gryffindor? Or is the name a fake? _

_I cannot believe this. Merlin must have been wrong. Gryffindor was Gryffindor. Starlight was Starlight. They were two different people. My parents were descendants of Godric Gryffindor which means I'm a Gryffindor not a Starlight. _

_Harry you do not know the full story. You are in fact both a Starlight and a Gryffindor. Starlight the First married Marian of Aolus. They all had four sons, the oldest becoming Starlight the Second. Starlight the Second married Gertrude of Loxley. They also had four sons, the oldest becoming Starlight the Third. Starlight the Third married Abigail of Norwaly. They had four sons as well. As is typical, the oldest became Starlight the Fourth who married Erica of Silverton. Erica bore him four sons as well. Starlight the Fourth however became tired of the ways of the court. He left to become a hermit. So humans might leave him be, Starlight the Fourth left behind his name and became Gryffindor. Naturally, the oldest of his sons became Starlight the Fifth. Erica passed the Cloak on to Starlight the Fifth. His younger brother, in resentment, left the family and ventured out into the world. He met a hermit from whom he learned all his teachings. Taking inspiration from the hermit's name, the son changed his name from Godric Starlight to Godric Gryffindor. Godric returned to the city from whence he came and became a soldier for their army. With his army he marched to an old castle but seeing his friends in the opposite army, he dropped his arms and surrendered, begging for forgiveness. They began living the peaceful life and established the castle into a school. Godric lived his life and eventually had a son named Gregor Gryffindor. Gregor also married and had a daughter named Gabrielle Gryffindor. Meanwhile, Starlight the Fifth married an unknown woman and had four sons. The passage of the Cloak stops here. The oldest of the sons married another woman who is also unknown. She bore only one son whom she named Brystol Starlight. Gabrielle and Brystol met at the school Gryffindor founded and eventually ended up marrying. They had children who had children who had children until eventually the Starlight name vanished to be replaced with the Gryffindor name. That too died out with Jean Gryffindor marrying Terry Potter. They had a son whom they names James. James Potter married Lily Evans and bore you. Do you understand now?_

Harry was stunned. A family tree would say he was a Gryffindor and a Potter but in truth he was a Starlight! After all, Godric _did_ change his name to Godric Gryffindor. For several minutes Harry remained silent contemplating what he had just learned. He was a Starlight and if the line had continued, Harry guessed he would have been the fourteenth or fifteenth Starlight.

"Harry? Are you okay? What happened?" asked a voice.

"Yes I'm—I'm fine. Sykes just told me I'm an ancestor of Gryffindor and Starlight."

"What?" asked Hermione sharply. "That's impossible Harry. Starlight the First and Godric Gryffindor were born totally different times. They—"

"I didn't say Starlight the First. I just said Starlight. But if you must know…Starlight the Fourth had four sons. The oldest became Starlight the Fifth and his younger brother was jealous of him so he left the family. He met a hermit and learned from him and adopted the name Gryffindor. So you see? There never was a Gryffindor line. There was only the Starlight line. See, no family genealogy book will start with any of the older families such as the Starlights who were around well before the book was even thought of. And even though Godric Gryffindor is the oldest in the _book_, he's not the oldest name. Gryffindor was related to the Starlights which means that the name Gryffindor is just that: a name."

A stunned silence followed as all of them considered what had just been said. Every single person present, with the exception of the Lovegoods, had or was a Gryffindor in the school. They had all regarded the house and the man it was named after to be strong, chivalrous, brave, kind-hearted, courageous, generous, and moral but to find out that the man's _name_ was a fake brought about a question: What _else_ was fake about him?

_Are you upset at me Harry?_

_No Sykes. I'm not upset at you but I am upset._

_Why? You finally know the truth._

_Yes but at what cost? My belief in the House of Gryffindor and Godric himself? No…this price is too high and yet I've paid it already._

_Harry the man's _name_ has changed is all. Not his _character._ You musn't think that just because the way you refer to him has changed his character and moral beliefs have changed as well._

Harry nodded in understandment. He then relayed Sykes message to everyone else and the tension lifted. The Lovegoods went back to examining James' wand, Bill and Fleur stood and stretched, and Hermione excused herself to go to the powder room. The remaining Weasleys leaned back in their chairs and stretched or sighed.

"Well," Harry said once Hermione returned, "I suppose I should show you all around Viroid Castle. And remember you all may come and stay whenever you would like. There will be wards around here after you leave however so please let me know in advance. Okay let's go." And with that, the others got up and followed Harry out the room, dropping the items back into the bag as they left. The elf followed them as far as to the door and then walked down another hallway and began to clean a nearby window. Harry showed the group everything from the bedrooms to the stables to the dungeons to the towers. He smiled appreciatively at the looks of wonder on the faces of those present. Finally, after three hours, Mrs. Weasley insisted on going home and finishing the laundry. Bill and Fleur decided to excuse themselves as well, as their baby had been left alone in the house with a nanny who had probably left by now. Neville said he was learning how to duel from his grandmother who, despite her age, was practicing with him every day and night. The Lovegoods also decided to leave saying their garden of Gurdyroots was in need of trimming and they were best trimmed at that precise hour. Knowing better than to complain, Harry agreed reluctantly and waved them all a goodbye as they left through the fireplace.

_Well Harry are you tired?_

_Actually I'm not. I'm wide awake, What do you want to do?_

_Well I was wondering if you wanted to learn and practice your Animagus forms._

_Ah yes of course. Well lets get started. Will it be tiring?_

_Very much so in the first few lessons but it will be good because you'll be learning something. Are you ready to become a Wyvern?_

Harry sighed and thought _Well its not like I have a choice do I? Let's get started._

_Alright. First you must focus on the physical shape of a Wyvern. Tell me when you have it memorized. You should be able to see each feather, each talon, down to the eye color._

_Okay I have it memorized._

_Good. Now imagine yourself turning into it. Imagine your bones shifting, your muscle growing, your height shrinking, your eyesight improving, your arms lengthening etc._

_Okay got it._

_It didn't hurt?_

_No should it have?_ Asked Harry, worried he may have done something wrong.

_Nay you did fine. Just don't open your eyes yet or you may lose focus at your appearance and remain in this form. Now Imagine those feathers, those talons, those eyes, that beak, everything on your body._

_Okay. I felt a little stinging. _

_That is to be felt. It is what anyone would feel if feathers were sprouting out of their arms at a fast pace._

_Oh I—what?! Feathers?_

_Don't open your eyes!_ Sykes called sharply.

_Alright I'm sorry. Now what?_

_Now imagine you were born a wyvern. You know how to fly, you know how to hunt, you know how to fight only because you were born to do so in this form. _

After a few moments, Harry mentally shook his head. He was feeling very sweaty and hot but ignored it. Then Sykes called out to him.

_Harry? You may open your eyes now._

_Okay._ And when Harry did, he saw the world much more clearly. Each color was enhanced and he could spot a mouse's nose twitching from fifty yards away. Harry stretched his arms and was shocked to see his wings were his arms. In his head he willed his right arm to move forward yet in reality his right wing flapped weakly. He also saw his tail, an appendage he was clearly not used to. His tail dragged uselessly on the floor as he walked around marveling at his bulging leg muscles.

_Sykes? Could you teach me how to fly?_

_I cannot teach you as I'm not a wyvern but I can teach you how to avoid certain weather patterns once you teach yourself how to fly. All I can tell you for now is that you need to jump into the air as high as you can and start flapping hard. I don't know how good you'll be at flying._

_Okay. _thought Harry nervously. Leaping into the air, Harry marveled at how high he was in just one jump. Before he could lose height however, harry straightened his body and began to flap his wings as hard as he could. He was surprised by how fast he was flying. He could probably fly faster in his wyvern form than he could on his Firebolt. Sykes was straining himself to keep up with Harry and even then he had to drop out of line as he could not fly as long as a wyvern could, especially at those speeds. On a whim, Harry angled himself into the air and roared with delight. His roar sounded like three T-rexes roaring at the same time. Overjoyed, Harry leaned his head back and his body followed gracefully. He slowed down and hovered in the air, gliding upside down on his back and then dove down backwards, spiraling towards the air with his wings tucked in close to his body. Sykes watched with worry hoping Harry wouldn't crash headfirst into the floor and kill himself. However Sykes was shocked again when Harry unfurled his wings and pulled out of the dive, his talons scraping the floor. Spotting Sykes, Harry slowed down and landed in front of the bird which flew up and hovered in front of Harry's face.

_Well done. I have never seen a wyvern more suited to the air than you. Even the natural wyverns seem to have trouble flying and yet you not only are adapted to the sky, you understand everything about flying. You know when to pull up, how to glide, how to land, how to stop…there is nothing I need to teach you. Now which form would you like to try next?_

A thunderclap rumbled in the distance and Harry spotted a large supercell storm headed their way. Harry looked at the phoenix and thought, _I don't think we should try anymore transformations today. I'm tired as it is._

_Very well then. Hopefully this storm will blow itself out._

Together, the wyvern and the phoenix flew side by side to the castle. Harry changed back in front of the gate and then walked in to get some rest. He dragged himself to the room where he met the families to get his bag. Instead, his eyes began to shut and suddenly he toppled over. A bed appeared just in time to catch him.

After ten minutes, or so it felt to Harry, He was awakened by the sound of a mini explosion. Looking up blearily, Harry spotted the figures of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley rushing at him with worried looks on their faces. Harry sat up and rubbed sleep from his eyes, knowing something must be wrong.

"Harry, oh Harry please help us! Ginny has run away!" We Have no idea where she is but she took off on her broom and said she was heading to Viroid Castle. She hasn't arrived has she?" asked Mrs. Weasley while Mr. Weasley looked around.

Harry shook his head and stood up and said, "Stay here. I'll find her I promise."

Walking out of the room, he summoned an elf, which appeared and began to run next to Harry to keep up with his fast pace. Harry spoke very quickly. "I want you to brew a Calming Draught and serve it to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They are in the room behind us. Disguise it somehow I don't care how you do it. Tell them its water or pumpkin juice or something but give them that Draught. I'm going out to find their daughter. If I don't return then wake the other house elves and organize a search party to go out and search. Be careful though; a supercell thunderstorm is raging outside and I think we're in the middle of it. I don't want to lose any house elves okay?"

Yes Master Harry." The house elf whispered. He then turned and disappeared in a crack. Harry continued to walk till he could no longer contain himself. Harry sprinted up to the topmost tower of the castle and slammed the door open. He then charged across the long room, yelling "Open!" at the window as he went. The window obliged and Harry dove out without hesitation. He was unaware that a house elf had seen the whole thing. The house elf ran with all haste to Sykes's room, which seemed small compared to the rest of the house but for Sykes, being a bird, it seemed very spacious. The elf barged in and woke the bird which looked at him questioningly.

"Master Harry has commited suicide Master Sykes!" the elf cried, tearing up.

_WHAT?! HARRY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!_ Sykes screamed through his mental link with Harry. Harry simply blocked him out and focused. Sykes gave a loud cry and suddenly burned to ash leaving a note behind for the elf to read.

_Fetching Harry. Not dead. _

The elf ran to tell the others what happened. Meanwhile Sykes arrived at the window Harry had just leapt from. Unable to keep his balance against the raging winds and rain, Sykes flew back. Before he was thrown back he caught a glimpse of Harry falling spread-eagled to the floor like a stone. Then all went black for the bird.

Meanwhile Harry focused all his power and frustration into transforming. After three failed attempts, harry felt his arms lighten, gis legs bugle with muscle, his entire body becoming one long sinewy cord. Flashing his eyes open, Harry saw each drop of rain with clarity the clouds moving towards him, the lightning flashing miles away, and each leaf on the trees in the forest before him. Flapping hard, Harry soon flew against the winds, with the winds trying to blow him to the left. Harry flew hard and despite his newfound strength as the wyvern, even he had to strain to keep on course. Then the winds changed, blowing him forward. Harry who had been flapping very hard, shot forward like a bullet. Yet despite this, he caught an image of a girl lying in a mess of thick branches, and broken twigs, her shattered broomstick lying near her. Her red hair flew about in wet clumps due to the rain and wind. Harry flew with the wind, trying to form a plan in his head. He had to think fast. The trees in the forest weren't the sturdiest and this super cell was stronger than any other he had seen. Harry finally decided what to do.

Turning to the left, Harry began turning circles in the wind. He began to spiral down, making wide turns as he went. In a few minutes he felt the pressure of the winds drop and knew he had entered the forest. Harry flew directly at a tree and latched onto it. The tree swayed dangerously in the wind but held. Harry leapt from tree to tree. Finally he reached a point where he could go no lower. If he transformed again, he would still be a couple hundred feet in the air, holding onto a slick tree. He'd have no way to get down. He couldn't jump down as a Wyvern because there was no space for his large feet. He would most definitely crush Ginny. Deciding there was only one thing to do, Harry climbed the tree a bit more and turns around, holding the trunk with his large feet and holding on with his enormous leg muscles. Then jumping out, Harry began to transform back to his human form. He felt his arms shrink and become denser. His fingers began to sprout out again. The tail shrunk as his legs lost their former muscular form and the feet shrunk. Harry landed in his human form in a crouch a few feet away from Ginny. A large gash gaped at him from her side. Another cut crawled up the length of her right arm. Harry traced the cut with his eyes and was horrified to find a long piece of the broomstick in her arm sticking out of her shoulder. Her face was covered in scratches as well. When Harry bent to pick her up he saw her right ankle and saw it was red and swollen. Undoing her leather trench coat, he checked her legs and saw that her right nee was horribly deformed. Checking her shoulders, Harry saw one shoulder sticking out grotesquely. Harry knew this was a dislocated shoulder as he had suffered a similar injury once in a practice Quidditch game.

Picking her up carefully, he moved her hair out of her ace and when he moved his hand he saw his fingers covered in blood which was quickly washed away by the rain. Picking up her trench coat, Harry placed it under her head and carried her bridal style back to Viroid Castle. He stumbled many times but pushed valiantly onwards telling himself that he was one step closer to seeing his bed. Six painful hours later, Harry arrived at the front gate of the castle and banged hard on the door. A house elf opened it and cried out loudly, seeing Harry bloody and wet, carrying a girl in his arms. The house elf ushered him in and immediately called more elves. Thirteen elves arrived to the calls, greeting their missing master and informing him of the unconscious Sykes, which rested in the infirmary. The lead elf conjured a stretcher and eleven others helped him pick it up. Harry placed Ginny carefully in it, telling the elves what he had inferred from her body. The elves listened with rapt attention and thanked him then rushed off to carry the girl to the infirmary. The remaining two elves took one of Harry's hands and led him to his bedroom telling him how they could not brew the Sleeping Draught in time so they resorted to a quick Sleeping Potion and left them on the bed they had fallen on. Harry congratulated them and walked with them to a room. As comfortable as it looked, Harry knew he would not be able to sleep unless he knew Sykes and Ginny were alright. He told the elves to guide him to the infirmary and informed them he would sleep there. They obliged and took him there, where he asked the elf doctor to bring him up to date. The doctor told Harry that Sykes had simply hit his head on the wall and was suffering from a mild concussion and that by tomorrow he would wake up. Ginny had a sprained ankle, a broken knee, a dislocated shoulder, many horrible bruises from branches that had struck her stomach and back as she fell, cuts from the flying bark and twigs in the wind, a cut on her right arm that had been made from a rock or tree. Her back was horribly scraped as well and the back of her head had a small but deep cut from a protruding rock. Harry had never seen a person so badly hurt.

"But we can't bring her around Master Harry. Perhaps you could bring her about with your magic?" the elf suggested. Harry complied, too tired to argue. He waved his wand and a chair appeared as Harry sat down next to her.

"Harry?! Where am I? The storm—"

"Relax ma'am. You are in the infirmary of Viroid Castle." The elf said, smilng as he did. "Now can you tell me what happened to you?"

Ginny nodded and began to speak. "Well I ran away from home to see Harry again. I figured it would be rude to just Floo in so I decided to fly. I wasn't expecting the storm I just thought they were some dark clouds so I sped up to get through them before the storm started up. Bad idea huh? The storm just started raging as I got a little bit into it. The next thing I knew I had to land so I started angling down but the wind made me somersault through the air so I decided not to angle the broom so far down. I still tried it except the winds picked up behind me and blew me forward really fast. The momentum kept me going and I couldn't stop in time. A branch was going to hit me so I did a Sloth-Grip Roll to avoid it. Good thing it missed and as the broom kept heading down from the wind I kept Sloth-rolling to avoid more branches. I wasn't expecting it because I thought the broom stopped so I got off it and the wind made it surge forward again the tip broke off as the broom went up in the air again. It lost control and then it did a loop and went back down through the trees. I grabbed a branch with my arm to get off but my shoulder was pulled out and I couldn't use my arm then. Then the broom rolled and caused me to fly upside down. I grabbed the side of the broom with my good arm and tried to pull myself up but I was flying sideways. Then I felt some tree or something dig into the back of my hand and go up my arm and cut out through the skin and I think it went through the muscle too. Anyway, I couldn't use either arm then. One dislocated and the other cut up? I couldn't use my arms to get back upright. So then I decided to just let go because I saw leaves and twigs under me. Right when I was about to let go the broom pulled up really hard: it went straight up. I decided to let go before it was too late so I did. And I fell and grazed my back on a tree trunk as I went down and I sort of kicked myself off the trunk because it hurt and I ended up landing on my cut shoulder on something sharp and hitting my head on a rock. I was still conscious though but barely. I rolled off my shoulder and then lay there on my back till I saw some big dragon type of thing shoot right overhead. I thought it came for me but it didn't come back after a few minutes so I lost hope and lay there and then fell unconscious." Ginny finished with a weak smile.

"Bloody hell Ginny. I knew you were tough but not that tough." said Harry with a smile.

_HARRY POTTER YOU IMCOMPETENT FOOL OF A MASTER! HOW DARE YOU PULL OFF SOMETHING SO STUPID KNOWING THERE WAS A STORM AND A RISK YOU WOULDN'T TRANSFORM!? DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!_

Harry flinched and looked over at Sykes, who still appeared to be unconscious but Harry knew that their bodies slept like normal but their minds rarely rested. Giving a nervous laugh in his head Harry responded. _Hey Sykes. How you doing?_

_I'LL TELL YOU HOW IM DOING YOU FOOL! I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU I EVEN FLASHED FROM MY ROOM TO THE WINDOW AND SAW YOU FALL! HOW DARE YOU SCARE YOUR SERVANT LIKE THAT?! THAT WAS COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE! I OUGHT TO BLOCK YOUR ACCESS TO MY MIND FOR A BIT IF YOU'RE GOING TO PULL THOSE TYPES OF STUNTS AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN!_

_But—_

_EVER!_

_Yeah but it—_

_NO! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES!_

_But you do want to hear an explanation right?_

…_Yes._ Sykes said crossly.

_You remember the girl you gave the engagement rings to? Ginny?_

_Yes what about her?_

_Well she ran away from home and decided to come here. Except she hit that storm that you and I saw. You saw how strong it was right?_

_Yes I did is she alright?_

_Oh she's fine but she's _really_ beat up._

_I'll heal her._ Sykes said. After a minute of silence he said, _As soon as I wake up._

Harry chuckled in his head and wished up a bed next to Ginny. Ginny had already fallen asleep. She was exhausted from trying to save herself and Harry was exhausted from carrying her. Soon, Harry and Sykes fell asleep, resting their minds from the excitement. The elves quietly left the room, leaving a glass of water and a glass of juice next to the humans and a bowl of honey next to the bird.


	2. Chapter 2

It took about four days for Ginny to completely heal. Harry was very worried for her, even more so than her own parents. Yet no one seemed to notice that Harry was spending more and more time in the Infirmary, sometimes refusing meals for days until Molly or Arthur forced him to eat. Sykes who was watching Harry from a windowsill one day, finally decided to comment on it.

_Harry?_

_Yes Sykes what is it?_

_Are you feeling alright Harry? You look a little ill._

_Oh I'm fine! Why do you ask?_

_Here, _said Sykes, conjuring up a mirror._ Take a look._ Harry did so and laid the mirror on the foot on Ginny's bed with confusion.

_I don't see anything._

_Harry your hair is a mess, you have an affliction of the eyes which I believe is called dark circles, you are beginning to smell like mud and you haven't eaten in over a week! Need I say more?_

_Yes just a bit. _Harry said with a small smile. Sykes remained silent and stared at Harry, who looked down apologetically._ Alright I suppose I should go take a bath but I'm really not feeling hungry. I have no clue why everyone thinks I'm starving myself._

_It's the best I can hope for I guess. By the way Harry?_ Sykes added as Harry went for the door. Harry looked back and closed the door again.

_Yes Sykes?_

_Don't transform unless you're sure you can do it. Otherwise you'll die and everyone will forget you as The-Boy-Who-Lived and will remember you as The-Idiot-Who-Overdosed-On-Felix-Felicis._

Harry began to laugh and then stopped suddenly, staring at Sykes with fascination.

_Sykes! You made a joke!_

_I know, now go bathe you filth excuse for a master. _Sykes thought with a wink at Harry.

Harry smiled and left. Sykes flew over to Ginny and landed on her stomach, causing her to wake up and smile at Sykes.

"Good morning Sykes. Merlin, how long have I been out?" Ginny asked herself, looking around.

_A week and six hours I do believe._

"Wait are you talking? Like _talking_ talking? Or am I imagining it?"

_Nay you imagine nothing. It's me, Sykes, still talking to you._

"Oh," Ginny said flatly, "Wait so how come you can't talk to anyone else?"

_I can but I don't. Only if the phoenix deems it so will it communicate with humans other than its owner._

"Oh I see. Where's Harry?"

_He was starting to smell like a pig and looked worse so I sent him to take a shower._

Ginny giggled and said, "Isn't Harry _your_ master? Why's he taking orders from you?"

_Luckily for me, he isn't very good master-material._

Ginny laughed out loud and Sykes trilled with her. After a while the two calmed down and Ginny became serious.

"Sykes? Can I tell you something?"

_Of course._

"And you won't tell Harry?"

_It depends. Are you planning on killing him?_

"No, of course not!" Ginny cried.

_Then you can trust that I will keep it a secret._

"Okay well I think I love Harry. Actually I'm not sure. There are times when I just want to throttle him because he doesn't read my hints and there are times I want to hug him and never let him go. And I'm not even sure if he likes me or not. I mean, sure, we have nearly the same interests but I'm a whole year younger than him. He dated me before but he broke it off that same year. And I understand _why_ he did it but that doesn't make it any easier to accept. And—GODDAMNIT!" Ginny finished, with tears running down her face. For a while, Sykes simply looked at her crying and did not speak till her crying somewhat subsided.

_I understand this is a heartless thing to say at this moment in time but…What does it mean to break something off?_

Ginny gave a watery smile, to which Sykes winked and cocked his head.

"It means when him and I were dating Harry broke off our relationship."

_You mean it was attached to something?_

"No I mean he ended it."

_Ah I see. And what were his reasons?_

"He had to end our relationship because he was leaving to go kill Lord Voldemort and he didn't want his men to use me as leverage. So he ended it to keep me safe."

_Well I understand his reasoning and I'm glad you do too. Perhaps it's time for me to tell you _why_ he was smelling like a pig and looking worse._

"Oh? Why is that?"

_Do you remember seeing a wyvern shoot overhead when the rock struck your head a week ago?_

"Yeah I do. Why?"

_That wyvern was Harry. You see Harry's Animagus form is a wyvern. When Harry fell asleep, your parents came to him for help. He immediately left and transformed into the wyvern to go find you. I doubt it was easy for the winds were strong and could have easily blown him off course. He must have found you and flew down to save you. He then carried you on foot from the forest to the castle in the rain. He arrived sopping wet, covered in mud and your blood. The elves nursed you and I healed you with my tears. Harry has been awake ever since the day after he found you. He has been refusing meals and hasn't been sleeping at all. He simply sits here and stares at you._

By the end of this speech, Ginny was crying once again. She wiped her eyes over and over again till Sykes conjured up a box of tissues.

_Do you see now how much he loves you?_

Ginny nodded, still not up to speaking. It was not often when Ginny succumbed to tears and when she did it was only for a short while. For her to cry twice in the same hour was colossal. In an attempt to humor her and to learn more, Sykes asked her another question.

_I believe these flimsy bits of paper are called Kleenexes?_

That wrung a laugh out of Ginny who immediately stopped crying to look at Sykes. "No these flimsy bits of paper are called tissues. Kleenex is a type of tissue."

_Ah I understand. I have been studying common human phrases. Why did the chicken cross the road?_

Ginny grinned and said, "Why?"

Sykes simply stared at her for a few moments before saying, _Well how should I know? I have better things to do than watch chickens cross roads._

Ginny roared with laughter and Sykes too began to laugh in his head. After a moment or two, Ginny and Sykes calmed down and began to chat happily about random things. Ginny began to teach Sykes common etiquettes such as the use of Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. She taught him when to be formal and when to be common. She taught him how to tell the time without saying 'the hour of'. When Harry walked in, Ginny was teaching Sykes the game of Quidditch. With a cry of joy, Harry ran forward to hug Ginny. Ginny smiled and held out her arms. Harry gave her a bone crushing hug, much to the amusement of Sykes, and without planning it, Harry kissed her. Sykes' laughter suddenly went silent in Harry's head, and Ginny's arms, which were tightly wrapped around him, went limp and fell down at her sides. When Harry broke the kiss, he blushed and looked at the floor and apologized. Sykes flew out of the open window and out of sight.

"I'm sorry." Harry said again.

"For what?" Ginny asked innocently.

"You know. For starting up what we had. I know it's wrong."

"Well it's not wrong. Why do you think it's wrong?"

"Because you liked me and I broke it off. Now I like you and I'm not sure if you feel the same."

"Harry—" Ginny began but was cut off.

"I know you probably think I'm cold and heartless. I feel as if I'm playing around with your feelings. I feel as if I'm thinking I can start this up whenever I want but I want you to know that I don't feel that way. I love you Ginny and—" but he was cut off with a kiss. Blinking twice, Harry slowly closed his eyes and kissed back. It felt good to have Ginny back. Harry had been planning on telling her ever since he had entered the castle.

"Oh Harry I love you too." Ginny whispered barely taking her lips off of his.

A moment later, Sykes flew back into the room and sat down in Ginny's lap.

"Sykes, where'd you go off to?" Harry asked suspiciously.

_Oh you know. Around and about._

"Uh huh. And I suppose your little sight-seeing adventure just happened to be over right when Ginny and I finished kissing eh?"

_I can't help it if it's a coincidence._

"A coincidence? Oh haha very funny."

Ginny laughed at the little squabble the two friends were having.

"Sorry to interrupt guys but I'd like some rest. Think I could get some?"

_Of course._

"Yeah sure. If you need anything holler at Sykes. He'll get you whatever you need." Harry said and departed. Sykes flew back to the windowsill and settled down to sleep, saying to Giny, _Good night young one._

" Good night Sykes. Thanks for listening."

Sykes simply hummed and closed his eyes.

It was pitch black out. The clouds slid over the moon sometimes, making it darker than ever for small periods of time. Sykes, who had shut down both his body and mind, failed to sense the presence of a cloaked figure quietly appear into the room. The body seemed to materialize from a dark cloud of smoke. The figure stepped forward and made its way through the beds towards the only one that was occupied: Ginny's. Stopping at the left side of the bed, the figure glanced at the sleeping bird again, then looked at the girl before it. Removing his mask, Draco Malfoy glared down his nose at the sleeping Weasley. How easy it would be to kill her now. He could kill her and the bird if he was quick. But it wouldn't be right to take something so quickly from Potter. No, Draco wanted Potter to die slowly and the only way to do that was to attack his heart. Draco slowly drew his wand and pointed it at the girl.

_Now which spell should I use? _He thought maliciously._ I can't simply kill her than would be too sweet. I could make her bleed to death but she'd call out and awaken that damn bird. I could cut her throat but again she'd gurgle and wake the bird. What to do?_

He thought for a while tapping his thigh with his finger. Looking around, Draco's eye caught the landscape outside.

_Ugh it's so damn dark. I hope it doesn't stay this dark forever because I'll have—_

He broke off in mid thought. _Of course. Of course that's it! Make the girl blind! How could Potter _possibly_ love a blind girl? Perhaps the pureblood in him will realize. Of course I should have thought of this before._

With his mind made up, Draco pointed his wand at the sleeping phoenix and muttered, _"Muffliato."_

He did the same to the door leading out of the Infirmary. Then he pointed the wand and Ginny and whispered, _"Altus somnus."_

Ginny was now under a very powerful Sleeping charm. She would most likely awaken after it wore off. Now Draco licked his lips, anxious to cast this last curse. With determination he pointed the wand at Ginny and said the words softly yet clearly.

"_Caecus excrucius."_

He knew it had worked, because Ginny rubbed her eyes and went back to sleep. Devillishly grinning in satisfaction, Malfoy disappeared. Once he left, the Silencing charms he had placed broke.

Then sun was shining bright and Sykes awoke with a loud, musical caw. He flew over to Ginny's bed and landed on her arm causing her to wake up.

_Awaken young one. Much is to be done today._

"Sykes? Are you doing magic on my eyes?"

_Nay Ginny. Perhaps you are too lazy to open them._ Said Sykes with a chuckle.

"No I'm sure my eyes are open. But I can't see anything. Why is that?"

Sykes leapt off her arm and said, _Turn over let me see._

Ginny did so and Sykes landed on her stomach. The pressure on her belly caused her too look in that direction. Sykes inspected her eyes and could find nothing wrong other than the fact that they were not as bright as before and that they had lost some color. Her eyes appeared faded. Sykes, only ever having contact with a few humans, did not know that she was, in fact, blind.

_I do not see any change Ginny. I will go call Harry perhaps he may be able to tell. You stay here._

"Okay. And Sykes, please hurry. I'm starting to get scared." Sykes simply cawed in distress and flew out of the window.

Ginny sat there in the bed, the darkness pressing upon her. It was darker than night, darker than anything she had ever seen. The only way to describe it was the color of the bottom of the sea; pitch black and nothing else. Ginny touched her cheek. She could feel. She then lightly bit her finger. She could also taste. She sat still and listened to the birds calling outside. She could hear then too. Raising her head, Ginny sniffed the air and smelt the stench of potions, draughts, and medicines. She could smell as well. The only thing she could _not_ do was see. A minute later, she heard the door open, heard the shoes clack across the floor, and felt the dip of the bed. A moment later, a cool hand touched hers and she heard Harry's deep voice say, "Ginny? What's wrong? Sykes says you're having trouble seeing things."

"I'm not having trouble seeing things I just can't see anything."

Harry frowned. "Open your eyes." When Ginny did, Harry let out a cry.

"What? What is it?" Ginny asked, frowning as well.

_It appears that the slight color loss I noticed in your eyes has increased dramatically._

"Color loss? What are you talking about?"

"Ginny I think—I think you're blind." Harry whispered.

"Blind? No I can't be blind. I can't be blind! I just CAN'T!" Ginny screamed. Suddenly she heard more clacking of shoes and the bang of the doors as the slammed open.

"What happened?" Ginny recognized her mother's voice. "We heard Ginny—Ginny what on earth has happened to your eyes?!"

"Mom?" Ginny murmured. "Are my eyes really colorless? Am I really blind?"

Harry could hear the plea in her voice and he too wished that Molly could have given a different answer.

"Honey I'm sorry but it's true. I'm so sorry. Dear if—" then she broke off, unable to continue. Ginny heard her mother silently crying. She could hear sniffling but whether it was her father or Harry, she could not tell.

Wondering if she could atleast do small things, Ginny got up out of bed. Standing up she held her hands out in front of her, waving them about, trying to feel her way around. Harry came to help but Ginny drew back form his hand and said, "No. I want to do this on my own."

Harry silently retreated and placed a Cushioning Charm on the floor. Ginny took small slow steps and made her way to the window. Before she had lost her sight she remembered that the open window was to the right of the door. Therefore, she headed to the window. Once she reached it she grabbed the inner ledge and followed it till she hit a bed. Startled at the unexpected touch of the cold metal on her leg, Ginny leapt back in fear, causing her to run into another bed. Ginny leapt off of this one too and ended up on the floor. Soon she began to cry on the floor.

Harry ran forward and slowed down as she glanced in his direction fearfully. As he knelt, he saw her draw back and squeeze herself into a corner, hugging herself and crying harder. Harry moved closer and whispered, "Hey it's me, Harry." Ginny flinched horribly as she heard his voice but didn't respond. Harry gently put at arm around her, ignoring her frantic gestures to get away, and held her protectively, shushing her quietly in her ear. Harry had never known Ginny to lose control like this. He hugged her tighter and felt her eventually claw her way deeper into his hug and cry into his chest. She cried and cried for hours on end. Her parents, unable to do anything other than watch, decided to leave the two teenagers and bird alone. Sykes followed them out but maintained a thin connection to Harry so that he could tell if they were in danger.

After three hours of bawling into Harry, Ginny finally sat up and wiped her blind eyes. Ginny used Harry's shoulder to stand up. Harry followed her and put an arm around her.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"I don't want to tell Hermione or Ron. I can't tell them. Or Percy. Or George—or Dumbledore. I don't want anyone to know." Ginny sighed heavily. Harry new this would be a hard time for everyone. Therefore he decided to keep the Weasleys in Viroid Castle.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked her cautiously.

"The kitchens would be nice." She answered with a small smile. Harry nodded and took her hand, slowly leading her from the window to the door. Ginny struggled to remember every turn they took but alas, this was a large castle with many staircases, corridors, hallways, and rooms. She'd have to rely on someone at all times for this castle. But what would she do at Hogwarts? She'd look silly holding someone's hand all the time, going to her classes or to the Great Hall. At that moment, Ginny decided that she'd not go to Hogwarts at all. She would either be home schooled or simply help out however she could in the house. That was one place she knew by heart.

Harry led her through a door and immediately Ginny could smell the aromas rising up. She could smell everything from freshly baked cookies and pies, to various roasted meats, along with freshly prepared salads and fruits. She felt the heat from the ovens rise up and rub her face. She felt a slight poking on her knee. In stead of jumping fearfully, she tried to think logically. If these were the kitchens then it must be a house elf that was poking her. Obviously it hadn't noticed she was blind. She knelt down and looked around, unable to see its face. Once it spoke she looked in the direction of the voice.

"Would madam and master like something to eat?"

"Well I'm not hungry I think its just Ginny here." Harry said with a smile. The elf, obviously curious about her eyes, asked about it. Ginny smiled sweetly and said she was blind. The elf, who appeared horrified at his mistake of bringing it up, apologized and ran away.

"No punishing yourself!" Harry called after him. "That's an order!"

Ginny laughed and let Harry guide her to a chair. She sat down and began to lean forward with her elbows up. Harry immediately wished up a table and was glad to find that it conjured up just in time to catch her elbows. Ginny, who didn't notice anything, smiled in Harry's direction.

"Ginny? Something's bothering me right now."

"What?"

"How will you get around Hogwarts?"

Ginny's smile slid off her face and he simply arched an eyebrow. Ginny swallowed hard and began to speak in a soft voice, "I'm—I'm not going back."

"What was that? I couldn't hear that over the sink." Harry said a little loudly as an elf had just walked over and turned the sink on.

"I said—I said I'm not going back." Ginny stated loudly. Harry stared at her blankly, too astounded to talk. Eventually, Harry shook himself awake and spoke up. His voice was calm but Ginny could hear a slight irritation and sadness in it.

"So what are you going to do then?" he asked her.

"Stay home I suppose." she responded.

"Oh. Well listen, ask one of the elves to guide you back okay? Sykes said he wanted to meet me up in the tower." said Harry, standing up. Ginny could tell by the way his voice seemed muffled that he'd turned and started walking away.

"Oh okay. Good bye Harry." She said in a defeated voice. "Harry?" she called. Harry turned around at the door and answered her rather sharply; he was finding harder to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Yes?" he gritted out.

"I love you." Ginny said loudly, making sure he heard her. She did not hear a response, only the snap of the door as it closed.

Ginny felt repulsed with herself. How could she give in to weakness? Wasn't she the one who continually mentioned how tough she was having five brothers? And she gave in to a moment's weakness. Worse, Harry hated her now, she was sure of it!

"Excuse me is anyone there?" she called out. Immediately an elf answered her call.

"Yes madam?" he squeaked.

"Could you please fetch me eight bottles of Firewhiskey?"

The elf was silent for a while but then he spoke with determination. "Madam you are not my mistress therefore I feel no fear in telling you that you are not of age."

"Please? Master Harry had his first drink before he was of age."

Madam?—"

"Please I'm begging you!" Ginny cried pitifully, getting on her knees and clasping her hands at the elf who backed away, startled.

"Of course of course! Please madam stand up!" he yelled. "Get eight bottles of Firewhiskey here right away!" He called.

Ginny thanked him tearfully and sat back on the chair. A moment later, three house elves appeared and placed the bottles on the table. Ginny choked out a thank you and opened the first bottle. The elves silently placed curtains around her so she could drink in privacy. Placing her fingers to the opening, the brought the bottle to her mouth, only to hit her cheek with it. Glad she had covered the opening, she tried again and met with success. She placed her lips around the bottle mouth and took a large gulp, gasping as the drink burned down her throat. Ginny then began to chug the drink, stopping only to catch a breath. After her third bottle, she began to hear a buzzing sound. Yet Ginny kept drinking, trying to forget what had happened nearly four hours ago, but to no avail.

After twelve hours of nonstop drinking, Ginny collapsed on the table. The elves nearby rushed forward and took her to the infirmary and, after telling the doctor what happened, they went away. The doctor simply tucked her in bed and walked back to his office, shaking his head.

Ginny woke up with a huge headache the next morning. She made to sit up but a small hand pushed her back down and a mousy voice said, "No madam you mustn't move too much. What do you want?"

"Could you please call Harry?" Ginny moaned out.

"Master will not return for another three hours. He's gone to run around the castle."

"Three hours?!" Ginny exclaimed, jerking her head up and immediately regretting it.

"It's a _castle_ madam. Rest now." And she heard the little pattering of bare feet as they walked away.

Ginny sat up slowly and felt a light weight land on her lap. She heard the ruffling of feathers and knew Sykes had arrived. Or perhaps it was an owl. Ginny waited for a voice to sound in her head. Then she'd know if it was Sykes or some other bird. Eventually Sykes spoke up.

_You were going to sit here till I spoke?_

"No just for twenty minutes."

_Ah I see. How do you feel?_

"Horrible. What happened last night? All I remember is asking for twenty bottles of Firewhiskey. Do you know? Harry walked out on me."

_He went to the top tower to practice changing into his wyvern form in peace._

"Oh."

_And to answer your question yes I do know what happened last night. You thought Harry hated you so you began to get yourself drunk._

"Heavily?" Ginny inquired, imagining the worst.

_I'm afraid so. What will you do?_

"I have no clue I was hoping you'd help me out. I love Harry so much but I don't know what to do. Wait you said he doesn't hate me right?" she added hopefully.

_I'm afraid he does but only slightly. You see he is expecting you to confide in him completely. And yet here you are getting yourself drunk of all things to try and forget it all. Therefore he is angry._

"Oh. Thanks." Ginny whispered. After a moment of silence, Ginny shook her head and spoke again. "Hey Sykes? Could you lead me to the window? I want some fresh air."

_Of course. _

Sykes mentally guided her to the window which she opened. "Could you call my mother and father here? I hate to use you so much like this but it's a family matter."

_Of course it's no trouble at all._

Ginny smiled and nodded waiting for the bird to leave. When Sykes left, Ginny felt around very carefully till she found a vial of potion. Sniffing carefully, Ginny recognized the fumes as those of the Calming Draught. Chugging the potion, Ginny shattered the vial by smashing it against the wall. Pieces of glass cut her palms as she felt around for the biggest piece. Finding one that fit her hand, Ginny sliced the edge across her left wrist, causing blood to spurt everywhere. A few drops landed on her face but she didn't register them. Dipping her right index finger in her cut she began to write on the floor, using her own blood as ink. Eventually, when she was done with her message, she prayed that it would be readable, and climbed out over the ledge of the window of the infirmary. Rocking herself back and forth, Ginny recounted all the moments she had with her family and wondered if she really was doing the right thing. Deciding that no one would truly ever love her the same, she stood on the ledge and leapt out into open air. Ginny gave a dry laugh as air began to rush about her. As she fell from the topmost window of the castle, she began to think of Harry, of Ron, of Hermione, of Fred whom she would see again, of Neville, of the late nights sneaking around, of the DA, and of Quidditch. Ginny imagined herself diving for the Snitch. In her head, she reached for the Snitch, her fingers inching towards it. But before she could catch the flying ball, Ginny struck the rocky floor at the foot of the castle. In that instant, Ginny Weasley was no more.

A few moments later, Arthur and Molly walked in the room looking slightly startled with Sykes, calmly gliding along behind them. Sykes' calm demeanor changed the moment he saw Ginny missing. The parents turned around and asked Sykes where their daughter was. Sykes simply looked around and saw, to his horror, the letter of blood. Hovering over it, Sykes gave a call to get the Weasley's attention, and then brought them over to the open window. Molly moved forward first in a zombie-like fashion. Her daughter _couldn't _have killed herself. It wasn't possible. And as she passed the bed, she saw the letter in blood and gave out a cry. Arthur rushed over and to his disbelief, saw the blood on the floor. Unable to support herself, Molly fell to the floor on her knees and her husband followed. They began to read the message which was very crooked as Ginny could not see what she had been writing.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_If you're reading this, then I'm gone. I know I'm way too young to be writing a will and that I barely have anything to pass on, but I wouldn't feel right if I didn't. So I'm giving my broom to Dad, my allowance for the next three weeks to Ron added to his, my wand to George, my room to Mom, my HolyHead Harpies poster to Hermione, my Weird Sister's poster to Bill, the tiara and rings that Sykes gave me to Sykes, the mini Hungarian Horntail dragon model Harry gave me to Charlie, and to Harry, my diary in the bottom compartment of my trunk._

_Hermione, loosen up! Stop reading so much because it hurts my eyes just to watch you read, and I know even you need a break sometime. So pull a few pranks with George huh? For me? George, Go easy on Ron. We all know he's not the best Quidditch player but he's good at chess at least. Ron, don't let anyone's words go to heart, it's how I became tougher than you. Mom and Dad, I love you both and I hope you forgive me for any wrong things I may have done. I'm sorry for setting your robes on fire mom and I'm sorry for losing the battery collection you started Dad. Harry, I love you so so so much. And I really hope you can forgive me for becoming weak. I really should have told you how I was feeling but I don't know what came over me. I'm truly sorry and I love you from the bottom of my heart. If any of you are brave enough, look outside this open window. I love you all. Goodbye._

_--Ginny_

Sykes had left the Weasleys to go fetch Harry, who hurtled through the room white-faced. The two parents didn't even respond to the sudden banging of the door, or the appearance of Harry. Harry ran over to them and skidded to a halt, staring wide-eyed at the crooked letter. Harry, too, fell to his knees and moaned. How could he have allowed this to happen? He shouldn't have been so sharp with her last night. He was sure this was his fault. As soon as that thought crossed the mental bridge between Sykes and Harry, Sykes exclaimed in his head.

_Harry this is most definitely _not_ your fault! Do not think it so! Ginny would have wanted you to be happy not wallow in your grief! Do not let it become so._

_Sykes it's my fault she's dead. She's up there because of me._

_Harry…think of it this way, _Sykes said after a while, _Ginny is up there yes. She is up there and has just pulled a prank on someone with Fred. Now she is having a good laugh about it all with Remus and Tonks. Collin is taking their pictures, and Albus is sitting behind a desk offering them lemon drops. Severus is sneering at them all and is bored out of his mind. _Harry began to cry harder, remembering all of those who had died. Sykes continued, for his plan was to have Harry cry it all out in one go._ Sirius and James are play fighting about who is the better prankster. Lily is shaking her head as the boys wrestle. Moody just walked in the room and gave Ginny a picture. It is a picture of the DA and of her family, all smiling at her. Ginny is praying you are well. So you see Harry? Ginny is perfectly fine. She has gone to a world that is much better than this earth._ Harry cried till there were no tears left. Ginny's parents, if possible, were crying harder than Harry. Hearing the commotion, the elves began to cautiously creep towards the room, but sensing the unwanted presences of the elves, he barred the door shut and placed wards around the room. Then, leaping onto the ledge that Ginny had just jumped from, Sykes began to sing. In truth, he was praying aloud for Ginny, but to the humans it sounded like singing. He sang till the three began to smile and their weeping began to subside. Gathering strength from this, Sykes sang harder till all the Weasleys and Harry could do was smile and look up in awe at the bird before them. Sykes ended his song and flew back over to Harry's shoulder.

Smiling, Harry petted the bird's head, then stood up. He helped Mr. and Mrs. Weasley up and made to gently drag them out of the room but they both resisted. When Harry looked at them, he found them looking at the last few words of Ginny's letter. In response, the parents carefully stepped over the note, and looked out the window. Ginny's body lay horribly mutilated on the rocks below. The sharp rocks had pierced her skin, not so much that they took off her body parts, but enough that they left cuts visible even from this height. Ginny's white hospital gown was dyed a deep red from her blood which had not only covered her gown, but had also splattered the nearby rocks. Sickened by the sight, Harry turned his eyes away and wished for a bucket. He knew he was close to hurling from the disgusting wreck near the bottom of the castle. Aft a few minutes of standing there, gripping the bucket, Harry regained his composure. Sighing in relief, he dropped the empty bucket, which vanished before it hit the floor, and proceeded to the door with the Weasleys in his wake.

After a week, Harry tried to get his mind off of Ginny, but it proved impossible. The infirmary was the worst reminder of her. The Weasleys had returned to the Burrow to inform the family of Ginny. Harry tried physical labor and while it helped his body, it did not help him forget her. He tried to play Quidditch but even then he was reminded of Ginny. He would look up at the stars from the astronomy tower and would see a twinkling star, reminding him of her eyes. One night, Harry was lying asleep in his bed, tossing and turning.

"No." he moaned."Not her."

The dream seemed to be worsening because Harry's tossing became more and more violent till he fell off his bed, screaming for Ginny. His screaming subsided into sobbing, and Harry lay on the floor, crying his heart out. Suddenly he heard a whisper. Or was it? He stopped sniffling and sat up straight, straining his ears. There! He heard it again. Crawling forward, Harry peeked around the corner of the bed, but did not see anyone. Puzzled, Harry stood up and looked around. Again he heard the incomprehensible whisper. He knew it wa saying something but couldn't understand what it was. He heard it again, louder, only this time he felt a horrible chill crawl up his spine. Turning around, e hugged himself, trying to heat his body up but to no avail. What was going on? The whisper got louder and louder till Harry finally understood what it was saying.

"Harry."

At first, Harry's blood froze. Was it Voldemort? Harry thought back to his first year, when he had burned Quirrel and picked up the Sorcerer's Stone. He had heard a whisper then, but thought it was Quirrel's cloak on the floor moving about. It wasn't till he turned around and heard his name being whispered, did he realize that Voldemort was still alive. Then Harry began to think logically. Whoever it was had plenty of opportunities to kill him. Therefore, they were either scaring him before they killed him, or were trying to contact him. Timidly he called out.

"Who's there?"

"Ginny." And then a pale figure appeared before him and Harry stared. He tried to scream but the air seemed frozen in his lungs, he tried to run but his legs seems glued to the floor, he tried to look away but his eyes seemed plastered to the pale figure before him. Ginny was still wearing the hospital gown. It was completely red and torn up. The sleeves were gone and the open end of the gown was shredded. The bits of the gown, dragged next to her cut up, bare feet. Gashes trailed all along her body from her toes to her face. Her eyes however were missing. They were clouded over in life, but in death they were simply gone. Ginny seemed to have been crying blood, because tear tracks of her blood were glistening on her pale face. The area around her eyes was darkened and her hair was no longer red but a deep black color. Her neck was broken so she held her head tilted to the right side.

"Ginny?" Harry asked aloud. "Is that really you?"

Ginny nodded and raised a bloody arm towards him, holding her hand out. Normally Harry would have been repulsed but this time e reached for hers and tried to grab her hand, only to feel a chill as his hand went straight through hers. Ginny turned her head away in disappointment, but turned back and put her hand down. When she turned away, Harry heard the revolting sound of her neck bones cracking loudly.

"Will you stay with me?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded slowly, still looking at him with her head held to the side.

"Will you stay here or will you follow me to Hogwarts?" Harry inquired carefully. Ginny's eye sockets widened with what he assumed was fear, and she shook her head violently. Again the sickening cracking of bones was heard even louder than before, but Harry ignored it.

"So you'll just stay here then?" Ginny nodded again and floated over to his bed to sit down. Harry followed, and sat across from her. For a while, the two stared at each other. Then Harry spoke up again.

"Say something."

Ginny shook her head and looked out the window. Harry tried to place his hand on hers only to have it go through, but he didn't care. He knew she could feel his warmth as much as he could feel her freezing skin.

"Please." Harry whispered. Ginny turned to look at him and Harry saw new tracks of blood running down her eyes.

"I'm sorry Harry. I love you so much." Ginny said. It sounded more like a choir speaking the words in a horrible chord.

"Ginny I miss you so much!" Harry said overjoyed that she spoke. He too began to tear up. Ginny let out a sob and began to cry in earnest, her tears of blood dripping on the floor. The two teenagers began to talk of the future. Eventually, Ginny stood and walked to the mirror. She could see herself, but Harry obviously couldn't.

With a determined look, she turned to face Harry who had also stood up.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm going hunting Harry." Ginny stated, with contempt dripping from her voice.

"Hunting?" Harry asked sensing the menace. He knew perfectly well what she was talking about but wanted to confirm his suspicion.

"Yes. For Death Eaters. I'm finishing them all off."

"But why? For revenge?"

"I won't ever move on if I don't. I've chosen to do this Harry." Harry simply nodded, knowing why this had to be done. Ginny nodded and began to leave for the window. She turned back and said, "I love you Harry." Then she disappeared as the sun's first rays hit her.

Harry simply could not sleep. All this time he thought he'd never see her again but he did. She'd stay here in Viroid Castle with him. Harry sat on the edge of his bed, thinking about his encounter with Ginny.

The door began to inch open, yet Harry did not see it. It was not till a small house elf snuck in with a duster did Harry notice the open door. He stood up to open it and the house elf screamed, not expecting him to be up so early.

"Master Harry!" she squealed. "You are awake!"

Harry nodded and asked for an early breakfast. The elf nodded and ran off, leaving her duster on the floor. Harry knelt to pick it up, then grinned as an idea entered his head. He needed to do some physical work anyway. Why not help the house elves out a bit? So he began to dust off his room. Then, wishing up a towel and a bottle of water, he began to wash the mirror, the floors, and the dresser. The elf returned nearly an hour later, to find Harry on his knees cleaning the floor. Screaming again, the elf placed the food on the table as quickly as she could and ran to Harry, who was looking at her questioningly.

"Master Harry why are you cleaning?!" she yelled in his ear.

"Because I need to do some work so I figured I could help you all out a bit. Is that a problem?" He stated calmly. The elf shook her head violently and snatched the towel and bottle away from him.

"No Master Harry now you must eat and let us work." She smiled at Harry and then began to scrub the floors. Harry simply smiled back and sat down on his bed, pulling the breakfast tray onto his lap. Harry then began to talk to the elf on the floor and once she was done, she stood up and climbed on Harry's bed. She looked around while he talked and noticed the drops of blood on the bed.

"Master Harry are you hurt?" she asked looking concerned.

"No why?"

"Because there is blood on the blankets. See?" she said, pointing at the dark spots.

"Oh that! Yeah I got a cut on my hand when I reached for my glasses but I healed it." Harry improvised. The elf didn't believe him but didn't press the subject. Thus, master and servant talked as equals till Harry finished his breakfast.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you thank you thank you to my partner in crime, nxkris! Without you, this story would not have been possible. Okay readers, if you're into Harry + Ginny stories then turn back now, because if you've already read chapter two, you'll know I killed her. Sorry. Also, Juliet Aris? Yeah she's me. I couldn't come up with a name for the OC so…I used my name. Obviously I don't look like I described her. If anyone wants to know then ask me. Disclaimer: I, sadly, don't own Harry Potter. And I'm doing this only once :D. Preview for chapter three:**

**-Ginny goes…hunting, and Harry meets a girl (OC). Spotlight on Ginny for the first half, then the Golden Trio +OC**

Ginny hid herself easily. Being a ghost she didn't have to worry about being seen or heard. And even if they did, it wasn't as if they could do any harm. When Ginny was alive and blind, she couldn't see anything. However in death she had a new kind of vision. She could see the magic of the people around her, therefore letting her "see". She hovered near a spot and suddenly heard growling. Instead of panicking, Ginny followed the sound and hovered before the dog. The dog, unable to see what it was growling at, simply made the noise because it could sense another presence. Ginny knelt and grabbed the dog by its throat. She carried the squirming animal to a tree trunk and floated up to the top. The dog began to whimper and Ginny, oblivious to how high she was going, smiled at the rush of cool air. She wound up and hurled the dog as hard as she could into the night. Straining her ears, she heard the snapping of branches and twigs, followed by a yelp and a sickening crunch. Ginny lowered herself down and continued on her way. She saw the outline of the magical Malfoy Manor. The wards were very weak. _I could go to Kingsley and tell him that. But I wont. Malfoy is mine. And I might as well kill his father too for giving me that cursed diary._ Ginny floated onward till a man ran straight through her. Not expecting it, Ginny turned to look at the man's back. Immediately he froze, registering the chill that was creeping over him. He turned, trying to figure out why it was so cold in that little section. Ginny, tired of having the man stick his hand over and over again through her chest, bent and grabbed a flat slab of rock. The man was still poking the air when Ginny angled the rock and brought it straight up into the man's chin. She drove the rock deeper and deeper into his skull till it was fully embedded and could not be seen. Ginny left him gargling for life on the floor, and proceeded to fly around the Manor.

She encountered another Death Eater who wore the mask covering their face. Ginny growled and dove at the cloaked figure at full speed. She caught it by surprise and slammed the body into a nearby tree. The body crunched into the tree and fell on its back. Ginny looked around and grabbed an enormous boulder. Being dead, she had no limitations to her physical strength and speed. Ginny smiled maliciously at the figure below, which gave a high-pitched scream. Ginny thought she recognized the scream and bent to lift the mask off. Umbridge's eyes darted fearfully from side to side as she clutched her ribs painfully. Ginny's anger doubled at the sight of the woman, and she threw the boulder as hard as she could as the rotund form. Umbridge gave one last scream before it was muffled by a ground-shaking _thud _as the rock landed on her. Circling once more, Ginny found another guard. She came up behind him and grabbed him left arm, roughly pulling him around to face her. He of course didn't know what was going on but stood there stupidly with his arm in the air. Ginny took a good grip on his wrist and tore his hand off. His blood-curdling scream was muffled as Ginny stuffed his own hand down his throat. She then proceeded to rip the man to shreds, joint by joint. Finished with her bloody work, she floated through the walls and into another being. At once she grabbed it, but realizing it was a terrified little house elf she let it go. The house elf tore down the hallway screaming "GHOST!" but Ginny ignored it. Instead she grinned to herself, looking at the fearful faces of the elves she went through, realizing how scary a vengeful ghost really was. She floated through another wall and saw Malfor Sr. asleep on his bed with his wife next to him. Upon seeing Narcissa, Ginny thought back to when Harry said she would be pretty if she didn't have a look that suggested something foul was under her nose. Indeed, the woman was beautiful._ It's a shame she has to die. Oh well._ Ginny said. Floating under the bed, Ginny placed her hands on either end of the mattress (lengthwise) and slammed it shut like a book. The two Malfoys couldn't even wake up. Ginny opened the bed again and set it down silently, looking at the grotesque forms of the Malfoys. She grabbed Lucius and stuck a hand straight through his back, causing him to moan loudly in pain. _You're alive?! Well not for long. _ Ginny thought as she felt around his insides for his spinal cord. Her face lit up devilishly as she got a firm grip on his spinal cord and, with an almighty wrench, tore it out of his back with his lower jaw still attached. Lucius Malfoy was dead in an instant. Ginny turned to Look at Narcissa who was squinting through the dark, trying to find her assailant. Ginny simply bent down and tore a hole into Narcissa's back as well. Ginny felt around inside and ripped it out of her back. The two cords she kept and floated through the wall, leaving the carcasses to be cleaned up by the elves later.

She went through room after room looking for Draco but all were empty. Finally she found Draco in the basement, fast asleep, and flew over to him, still gripping the spines of his parents. Spinning one like a whip, she struck him across the face with it. Draco awoke with a start and touched his cheek, feeling the blood. He looked up and squinted more carefully and saw the two bloody spines floating in mid-air. Ginny made herself visible and Draco let out a blood-curdling scream of pure heart-felt terror. Ginny cracked her neck back into place and fixed her grip on the cord in her right hand. Draco immediately began backing away and fell over. Ginny grinned and blood cascaded from her mouth down the front of her torn gown. Horrified, Draco made to get up but was stopped when a table landed directly on his scrabbling hands, crushing the bones to a powder. Draco squealed in pain and felt the table being pushed off his now useless hands. Through bleary eyes, he saw Ginny walk up to his front and hit him across the back with one of the spines. Draco screamed and Ginny smiled evilly. Draco looked up and Ginny, sticking her bare and bloody foot under his chin, pulled him up into a kneeling position. Using the blood from his hands, she wrote a message on the wall.

_Lucius Malfoy's_ and _Narcissa Malfoy's_

Underneath each name she shoved the spines of each person repectively into the wall. Draco, disgusted beyond words, understood that Ginny had ripped out his parents' spines and was going to beat him to death with them. She lunged forward and hit him over and over with the spines. With her unlimited strength, she soon had beaten his face to a pulp. Blood flew everywhere with each strike. She grinned and wrote another message on the wall, this time scratching it in with her fingers.

_I'll take from you what you took from me._

And with that she grabbed Draco's face and placed her thumbs over his closed eyelids. Frantically, he scrabbled at her hands, only to have his go through them. Ginny began to squeeze slowly, relishing in the fact that Draco's screams were growing louder and louder. Ginny then laughed, and her voice, frightening enough as it was, caused Draco to scream even louder for mercy. She lifted her chin and looked to the ceiling of the room and finally applied all the pressure she could causing his eyes to explode and spurt blood all over her throat and chin. Draco screamed his loudest yet and fell over in mind-numbing pain when Ginny let go of his head. Placing the spines back in the wall, she made herself disappear again, picked up the open recliner seat and placed it in front of Draco who could not see anything. Finally Draco asked through his screaming, "How did you know I made you blind?!"

Ginny grabbed his head and placed it in the machinery controlling the recliner. Holding him there she said only three words that sent chills up and down his spine.

"Death tells all."

And with that, Ginny slammed the recliner shut, hearing the squelching of flesh and the crunching of bones. Ginny stood up and looked around, spotting another being but not only was the magic in this one very weak, the magic was Light not Dark. Shrugging, Ginny floated over and tore the top of the cage off. She saw a stunningly gorgeous woman sitting in the cage looking up at who had saved her. When she saw no one she stepped out and looked around. Ginny made herself visible and gave what she felt was a warm smile. Of course the appearance of a deformed bloody ghost did not look inviting, as the girl screamed and hid back in the cage. Ginny laughed and looked down inside. The girl, squealed and cowered even more into the corner of the cage. Ginny simply leaned against the torn edge of the cage and said, "I'm leaving now. Find Harry Potter. Tell him the Death Eater's are nearly gone. Tell him I'm hunting for the rest. Can you do that?" The girl simply nodded fearfully, staring at Ginny.

Ginny nodded curtly and made to leave when the girl called out, "Wait! You're Ginny Weasley!" Ginny stopped and turned around with surprise. How had the girl known?

"Yeah so?"

"Well…how come you're dead? What happened?"

"I killed myself."

The girl gasped. "But why?"

"He made me blind."

"Who?"

"Him." Ginny said, pointing at the recliner. The girl squealed and stared at Ginny, who straightened up and left the Manor, the screams of the house elves still ringing in her ears.

Harry woke up and put on his glasses looking around for whatever woke him. He saw a brown owl staring at him holding out its leg, a copy of the _Daily Prophet _tied to it.Harry untied it and read the front page article while drinking a glass of orange juice that one of the elves brought up earlier. He nearly gagged as he read the headline which blared, "**MALFOYS MUTILATED IN MANOR**" Regaining his composure, Harry read the article carefully.

**Late last night, Dolores Jane Umbridge, Macnair Todd, Vincent Crabbe Junior, and the entire Malfoy family were found killed in their Manor. A Ministry official, who wishes to remain unknown, arrived at the Manor to ask about a certain law. He saw pieces of the body of Vincent Crabbe near the front door. Pieces you ask? Yes pieces. Vincent Crabbe's body was found violently ripped apart, joint from joint, with his ripped off hand in his mouth. More searching found Dolores Jane Umbridge with her head completely destroyed under a boulder, each of her ribs broken. A dented tree trunk suggests that she was thrown into the tree at high speeds before the boulder was thrown. Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy were found in their beds. A closer look revealed that each of their spines had been ripped out of their backs. Draco Malfoy was found in the basement, his head all over a recliner, and two spines, presumably his parents', found stuck in a wall with the words **_**Narcissa Malfoy **_**and **_**Lucius Malfoy**_** written in blood over them. The murderer for these heinous crimes is still to be caught. (More on page 13)**

Harry was stunned. He knew Ginny was out to kill but he never knew she would be that ruthless. Harry was finding it difficult to breathe. There was no way he could love her after this. It was just wrong for her to kill them so violently. Sure if she had cursed them or maybe used Avada Kedavra he would be fine but to rip someone's spine out was pure horror.

"Harry Potter?" a timid voice asked from the doorway. Harry turned to see who was standing in the doorway. A gorgeous face peeked out at him. The girl had a sweet smile on that revealed perfectly straight and white teeth. Her lips were big, but not so big that they appeared ludicrously bulbous. Her face was delicate yet showed that she was one who had seen much in her life just like Harry. Her eyes, which were a deep sea blue, shone with pain and a longing for a normal life, something Harry could relate to. Her blonde hair was straight, as if magically kept so, and her long bangs covered her right eye and flowed in with the rest of her hair.

"Yes?" Harry said, placing the glass on his bedside table. The girl stepped in the room and Harry could tell she was itching to look around, however she kept her eyes on Harry's. Harry saw that the girl was well-built. _Is she an Auror?_ Harry thought. The girl stopped right in front of his bed and bowed formally, saying, "Harry Potter I am Juliet Aris. I was kept in Malfoy Manor and repetitively beaten and raped for several months before Ginny Weasley came to rescue me." She said flatly. Harry could tell she had been memorizing this phrase so he wouldn't have to ask her any questions. Juliet did not look at him while she said this, though her eyes became watery.

"Ah…I see." Wishing up a box of tissues, Harry took one and purposefully placed it in front of her.

"Please sit."

Juliet looked wary and sat down on his bed across from him. He took a tissue and made a big show of blowing his nose. Juliet simply smiled at this and Harry caught a view of her dimples. Once Harry was done, he threw the tissue away and began to talk.

"So where are you from?"

"I was born in France, grew up in America, and moved here about two years ago." She responded with a bigger smile. Harry grinned like a little boy with his first broom. But something didn't click.

"I'm sorry to bring it up but are you a pureblood?"

"No I'm a muggle-born why?"

"Well I was just thinking. A lot of Death Eater's are big fans of keeping everything pure. I can't understand why they would keep a muggle-born as their…uhmm…" he trailed off, embarrassed.

"Whore." Juliet finished for him. "And it was only to show what would happen to muggle-borns in the future. Didn't you ever read the Daily Prophets about the Malfoy Manor?"she said with no contempt. If Harry Potter was going to treat her like she was a delicate piece of art, then so would the rest of the world and she did not want that.

"N—no. I—I—I didn't uhm…pay attention…" Harry whispered.

"Oh. Well basically there was one issue which said, "_Moans from Malfoy Manor."_ and another that said, "_Woman held captive with Malfoys?"_ I'm sure you would have read them. " she said, undisturbed from his embarrassment.

"Well I'm not really the bookworm type." Harry said with a small smile. "I'm more the 'play around all the time and still get work done' type."

Juliet laughed and Harry's stomach swooped. He loved the sound of her laugh. At that moment, Sykes flew in through the window and landed on Harry's shoulder, looking at Juliet quizzically.

"Sykes, this is my new friend, Juliet Aris. Juliet, this is my friend, Sykes. He's my phoenix."

Juliet's eyes widened. "Sykes, it's a nice name. Did you name him of did he have a set name like Merlin's phoenix?"

_Dear I _am_ Merlin's phoenix._ Sykes laughed, projecting his thoughts to both Harry and Juliet. Harry smiled and looked at Juliet, whose eyes, if possible, widened even more.

"Wait…you're _Merlin's_ phoenix?! _The_ Merlin?"

_Well if I'm mistaken, there was only _one_ Merlin right?_

"Yeah." The two humans said.

_Then, yes, I am _the _Merlin's phoenix. _Sykes stated.

"Sykes? I know I'm being pretty bold but could you please heal something?"

"You're hurt?" Harry asked sharply. "Why didn't you tell me?"

_Looks like someone has the hots for someone else._

_Shut up Sykes._

"Now—"he began but stared at Sykes incredulously.

_WHAT?!?!?!_

Sykes cawed with laughter and flew up out of Harry's reach, still laughing his head off.

_WHERE DID YOU EVEN LEARN THAT?!?!?!?!?_

_Hermione and Ron. S_ykes said, his voice shaking with laughter.

_SYKES I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU IF YOU TELL ANYONE THAT I HAVE THE HOTS FOR JULIET!_

_Calm down Romeo._

Harry sighed and thought, _Fine I—wait…SYKES!!!!!_

Sykes laughed even harder and flew out of the open window.

"Erm…was it something I said?" Juliet asked.

"Huh? Oh! No Sykes was just playing a joke on me."

"Well I guess he's not healing me."

"First tell me where you got hurt."

"Well I have this scar," she said, then she stood up and turned around stretching her T-shirt down so Harry could see her scar. He found himself not staring at her scar, but at the six-pack underneath it. "and I was wondering if he could help me get rid of it."

Harry simply stared wide eyed. Juliet smirked slightly and asked, "Harry you still there?" Harry shook his head very slowly, not taking his eyes off of her stomach. "Are you thinking about something?" Harry nodded slowly. "Does that something have to do with me and you?" Harry nodded, then blinked and seemed to register what she had just said. He stared in to space, still frowning and then, realizing what she had just implied, yelled, "HEY!" Juliet laughed and lowered her shirt. Harry, careful to control his expression, simply patted the spot next to him. Juliet smiled sweetly and sat down next to him. The two chatted for a while about random things, each trying to get to know the other better.

The door opened suddenly and a voice said, "Harry are you—oh," Ron peeked through and saw Harry in his night suit, the girl next to him and immediately got the wrong message. "Right I'll leave you two alone then."

"Ron get back in here!" Harry called. When Ron complied, Harry introduced them. "Ron this is Juliet. Juliet, this is Ron." The two briefly shook hands, Juliet staring intently at her own hand, and Ron staring at the floor, red in the face. The room went silent and Harry suddenly said, "Well what was it you wanted on?"

"Oh right uhmm...mom wants to know what you want for breakfast." improvising on the spot.

"Ron we aren't at the Burrow. I've had breakfast already so have you if I'm not mistaken." Harry said mischievously.

"Hey Mum asked mate not me." Ron mumbled, embarrassed that he'd been caught.

"Well could you tell her I've already eaten then? Thanks."

"Alright. Err nice to meet you." Ron added to Juliet, who nodded uncomfortably. Once Ron left, Harry turned to Juliet and began to ask, "So what's—" only to be stopped when Juliet placed her fingers over his lips and pulled out her wand. Harry copied her and looked around, keeping his lips plastered to Juliet's fingers. Juliet pointed her wand at the door and windows and muttered, "_Cavice Muffliato."_

Harry saw a blue light fly to the door and windows and cover the gaps in them. Harry understood. Ron must still suspect them of something so he was likely to stop and listen at the door. Juliet and Harry were talking about very personal things that were not to be discussed with anyone else. Hence the spell she cast. She put her wand away and sighed, then looked cautiously at Harry, who was wearing an expression appropriate to having been struck with a Bludger. Juliet looked at him, puzzled, till she realized that her fingers were still over his mouth and he'd taken hold of them. Instead of drawing back, Juliet sat there for a minute. His hands were soft, but not too soft. They were slightly rough from the physical labor he forced himself to do. His hand itself was neither big nor small. It seemed to fit into hers like a puzzle piece. Juliet smirked again, and gently pulled her hand away from Harry. The moment her skin left his, Harry looked around. Sykes had flown back in and had seen the two holding hands but decided not to say anything till she let go.

_It appears she just burst your bubble Harry._ Sykes said to Harry privately.

_Huh? _

_Harry you're lovestruck!_

_I am not._ Harry said, sounding affronted.

_Are too._

_Are not._

_Are too!_

_Are not!_

_ARE TOO!_

_ARE—_

_STOP! _Sykes said, his voice sounding urgent. _Harry I sense a disturbance somewhere in this castle. But I cannot tell you what it is unless you promise not to quarrel with me for I know what I say when I tell you of this disturbance._

_What is it Sykes? I promise not to argue just tell me what's wrong? Is someone hurt?_

_No it's just…ARE TOO! _And with that, Sykes leapt and flew behind Juliet who laughed. Harry lunged at the bird, only to miss and end up on his back with his head in Juliet's lap. Juliet stared at Harry but did nothing. Instead she waited for him to get off her lap laughing at his face.

"Oh Harry," she managed to get out through her laughing, "Your face is redder than Ron's hair!"

"Shuddup." Harry said quietly, still fuming at Sykes.

_Sykes I will murder you in your sleep a hundred times over._

_And I'll be born a hundred and one times over._ Sykes said, laughing in his head.

_Well I'll—_Harry broke off trying to think of something he could do_. I'll ask Hermione what I'll do._

_You do that Harry. In the mean time however…ARE TOO!_

_DAMNIT SYKES!_

_Oh come now Harry you can't tell me those big blue eyes aren't pretty._

_They—they're not. _

_Mhmm._

_They're erm…_Harry broke off, trying to come up with something that sounded remotely normal but couldn't think of succumbed to his feelings. _They're gorgeous. Have you seen the way her eyes sparkle? Oh I love it. And her hair oh her hair! It looks so silky and smooth. Her lips Sykes her lips! They're so…pink. They're big, but not too big and at the same time they're small but not too small. You know? They're just…oh they're just perfect. Sykes she's—_

_She's what Harry? _Sykes thought innocently.

_Wait a minute I get what you're doing! You're trying to get me to tell her all those things so she'll make fun of me! Well it won't work! _Harry thought triumphantly. Sykes hung his head and shook it.

_I'm afraid she already knows Harry._

_What?_

_While you went on your little description of her you actually said it out loud._

Harry was stunned into silence

_Damage is done erm…mate? Is that right?_

Still Harry said nothing.

_I guess so. Good luck Harry. You're on your own._ And with that Sykes really did fly away.

"Erm…thanks." Juliet murmured.

"Yeah uhm…don't—don't mention it."

"I won't." Juliet responded with a wink.

"Juliet I have a question for you." Harry stated, completely serious about his next words.

"Yes?"

"Are you an American veela?" he blurted out. Juliet burst out laughing harder and harder till she could no longer support herself. After ten minutes, Juliet was on the floor clutching her sides, and Harry was looking at her as if she was insane. Once her laughing subsided, she sat back up o the bed and looked at him. The two stared at each other for a minute, Harry expectantly, and Juliet amused.

"Well?" Juliet shook her head and giggled again. She stopped immediately at the look on Harry's face and said, "No I'm not. Why do you say that?"

"Because erm…you're—well you're…erm.." Harry stammered.

"I'm what?"

"You're—your hair is really straight." Harry said thinking of similarities between Juliet and Fleur. The only one he could find was that both the women's hair was straight. Juliet's eyes were rather squinty but without the crow's feet on her face. Her eyes were what Hermione would call 'perfect for smokey eye make up' whatever that meant. Fleur's eyes were big and bright, quite the opposite. And while Fleur's eyes were a bright brown, Juliet's were a dark blue. There were facial differences as well. Fleur's face was rounder and softer than Juliet's, who had a set jaw with a slightly longer face than most girls.

"My hair." It was not a question, it was a statement, a statement that blared 'The Great Harry Potter my ass. Can't even lie properly'.

"Erm..yeah." Harry nodded in a matter-of-fact way.

"Harry I may have been kept away from civilization for months but I can still tell when people are lying." She mused.

Harry simply shrugged and nervously looked around. After a minute, Juliet grinned and spoke in a mock-accusing voice. "You like me."

"I do not!" harry exclaimed.

"Oh so you don't like me huh?"

"Nope."

"So basically if I were to kiss you right now you'd not do a thing."

There was a moments hesitation before Harry said, "Yep."

Juliet's grin vanished and her face became expressionless. Harry, unsure of what she would do, looked around. Suddenly his wand clattered to the floor, having rolled off the bedside table. He bent to pick it p but when he sat back up, Juliet lunged forward and kissed him on the lips for a second before backing away. Harry sat stunned into a thoughtful silence. At first it was bliss, sweet bliss, to have Juliet's lips pressed to his. But wasn't he betraying Ginny? What if she came after him for kissing some other girl. Harry never got into relationships for the physical aspect. He got in them because he felt the girls he went for were intellectually up to his level. Only after looking back on his life did he realize that unless some girl had survived the Killing Curse, no one has seen more of life than him…perhaps Dumbledore but then again the man _was_ about 150 years old so he didn't count. Even if he started to date Juliet, everyone would think Harry went for her because she had the looks to be a veela. Hell, _he_ thought she was a veela! Ron would most likely tell people that Harry was in his pajamas with a veela in his room. What would the Weasleys say? What would Hermione say? Oh god, why was Juliet staring at him? Why couldn't he speak? And why in the hell was he asking himself so many damn questions?!

"Feel like I'm on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionare?'" he muttered to himself.

"What was that?" she inquired. Harry shook his head and began to rub his cheeks. His face was burning and he was sure his cheeks were, in fact, as red as Ron's hair.

"Uhmm Juliet? I don't want to seem like I'm throwing you out but…I kinda need to shower and then write a few letters to people. So…erm…" he trailed off.

"I'd go but I have no idea where I'm gonna go. I don't have enough money to rent a room anywhere." Juliet said seriously, standing up.

"You're not going anywhere. I'll ask an elf to show you to a room. You're living here from now on." Harry said, as he got out of bed, walked to the closet, and began pulling clothes from his closet.

"Oh Harry!" she squealed, running forward and hugging him tightly. "Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" then kissed his cheek and stood a the door happily.

Harry, amused by her reaction, called a house elf and ordered him to take Juliet to her room. Once they were gone, Harry called up another house elf, and told her to go and buy as many clothes as it could carry for Juliet. The house elf bowed low and disappeared from the room. Harry took his shower and when he stepped out twenty minutes later, he was shocked to see the enormous pile of feminine clothes all organized from formal, to casual, to nightwear, to undergarments (Harry looked away at those trying not to imagine Juliet with just those on), to small accessories. Congratulating the elf which stood nearby, Harry Banished the clothes to Juliet's room with a note telling her whom they were from and why. Then he sat down at his desk and pulled out a quill, opening a notebook as he did. Turning to a fresh page Harry dipped his quill into black ink and began to write. The nib of the quill rasped as he wrote the first few letters.

_Dear journal,_

_What a start to a new day! I wake up and this beautiful girl—and I mean BEAUTIFUL—stepped through my doorway. And we talked and talked, Sykes played his jokes on me but for some odd reason I can't seem to bring myself to tell her I like her. Her name's Juliet by the way. Anyway…what do I do? I'm scared to tell her but if I don't then she might think I don't like her. I try to act normal but I just can't. I'm not even trying to impress her or anything. You know she kissed me? Yeah she actually kissed me! Right on the lips for a second, but what a second it was! Oh I really think I love her. She's so sweet and smart and not to mention, drop dead gorgeous. But…Ginny might come after me and I don't want to die early. What to do??? I think Ron's jealous but I don't know why. I'm guessing he thinks Juliet's pretty…well pretty…and he probably likes her. I don't want to say she's mine because she's been treated like property for a couple months and I'm not even sure if she likes me or not. Question…why do you think Ron's acting so weird around her? I'd really like to know. I just sent a house elf to go buy Juliet some proper clothes for all occasions. Hopefully they fit her and hopefully she'll like them. I've been trying to imagine her in all the clothes that were bought and I think she would look fine. _

_Sincerely,_

_Harry_

Once he finished writing he put the pen away and waited for a few minutes, staring intently at the page he'd written on. Suddenly, the book shut by itself and a voice issued from its pages. The front and back covers of the journal opened and closed as if the book itself was a mouth.

"Oh Harry I do believe that you are a lovestruck young man! What jokes did Sykes play? Do tell, Sykes seems to have a vibrant, if not humorous, personality. Again, the reason you can't tell her you like her is because it's true. You feel genuine attraction towards the girl not like with Cho, whom you went for simply because of her looks. Ah it would seem if she is also attracted to you, that you are Juliet's own Romeo! Well I cannot advise you Harry as I've never met the girl before. I only got to know you after three years of you writing in my pages and me responding. I understand why you can't seem to behave normally and it's alright, just as long as you're alone with her and Sykes. Well Blimey this girl seems to move at a fast pace! She's already kissed you? Ginny might come after you? What ever do you mean? From what you've told me of Ron, he seems to be the type who thinks not with his brain but rather with his genitals. I hope in this friendship _you_ are the one steering. Harry isn't it obvious? He's jealous because you've had girls drop at your feet your whole life and he hasn't. He's jealous because you have the luxury to pick any girl you want from the billions. And now that one particularly pretty girl, or so you say, has shown up, he can't help but resist flirting. I'm assuming he's ashamed to flirt in front of you. He's acting weird because she's very pretty and she has the same effect on him as she does you…she causes you both to make complete idiots of yourselves. I'm sure she would look great Harry. I do believe that is all you wrote in me today so…without further ado, _adieu._ You like my joke?" the diary finished speaking. It had a female's voice, a voice that sounded much like a parent's. Harry laughed at the joke the book made, and then got out of his chair and stretched. He pondered what she (the diary) had said. Was Ron really jealous of Harry over something as trivial as girls? Didn't he realize that the girls only liked Harry because he was rich and popular? None of the girls really wanted Harry the person, they wanted the fame and fortune that came with him. _Of course not_, Harry thought. _He only sees half of the truth and assumes the rest._ Suddenly, Harry felt a small twinge of anger at Ron and how thick he could be at times. Summoning a house elf, he asked it to call Ron to Harry's room. Harry also called Sykes and asked him to become invisible. Harry needed a third person's input on the conversation that was about to take place.

_Yes Harry?_

_Sykes I'm going to have a talk with Ron about his…issue._

_Issue?_

_He always gets jealous whenever any pretty girl tells me she loves me. It's always plain obvious they want my money but he doesn't see that. All he sees are the girls who throw themselves at me and he's jealous because no girls done that for him yet except for one Lavender Brown._

_Ah I see. And you need me to do what?_

_Become invisible and be a witness to the conversation._

_Yes Harry. I'll perch on top of the bed poster so he has no chance to see me._ And with that, Sykes turned invisible and Harry felt the woosh of the air as he flew up to the poster. Two minutes later, Ron entered and said, "Hey mate." With his jolly smile, which Harry returned half-heartedly.

"You wanted something?" Ron asked.

"I'm not really sure how to bring this around."

"Well think on it mate."

"Will do."

Ron sat on Harry's newly made bed and looked around at the room, waiting for Harry to come up with the right words. Unable to bear the silence, Ron spoke up again.

"That Juliet girl…"

"What about her?"

"Is there something going on between you two?" he asked tentatively.

"No Ron I _just_ met her."

"Oh." He sighed with relief. "So is she single?" he asked cheerfully. This angered Harry to no end.

"See that's what I wanted to talk to you about!" Harry practically roared. Sykes, cast a Silencing Charm on the room and watched carefully.

"So she's not single?" Ron asked, seeming a little put down. "Well we can always be friends with benefits. I'd love to help her get her stress out." He grinned. Harry, if at all possible, was even more angry.

"Ron not every girl thinks about sex first. Some girls just need some space." He spoke with his patience thinning.

"That's not true at all. ALL girls think about how good a guy is in bed."

"But not all the time Ron!" Harry exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air with frustration.

"Harry why are you getting so mad? You can pick from any girl. Hell, you could fuck Fleur and I'll bet you Bill wouldn't mind!"

"RON!" Harry roared. Ron had crossed the line. Sure, Fleur was a veela. She couldn't help it when guys unknowingly tried to impress her. But in a manner, she could get any guy she wanted, yet she stuck with Bill. In that aspect both Harry and Fleur were similar. Harry brought that point up, deciding it was a good counter argument. "Ron, Fleur is a veela. She can get any guy she wants. _Any _guy at _any_ time. But she sticks with Bill because she's a sweet person with good moral values and brains, something your huge empty cavity you call a head lacks. I can get any girl too but I'm not fucking around. I'm waiting for the perfect girl."

"Waited a little too long with Ginny didn't you? Drove her suicidal you did." Ron muttered. He regretted saying that as soon as he saw Harry's expression change from angry to murderous. _He won't do anything. I'm his best mate._ Ron thought. Armed with that assumption, he faced Harry calmly.

Harry wound up punched Ron hard in the jaw. The blow left Ron sprawled on the floor six feet back, staring at Harry in utter disbelief.

"You never stop to think do you Ron? You never know when to stop. You're a cold, horny, uncontrollable, bastard who probably overdosed on Viagra. I'm telling you now once and for all. If you don't stop thinking about sex all the time, then this friendship will end. You won't be welcome in this castle anymore. Your family will. Why you ask? Because they aren't—" he hesitated to say the word, but said it anyway, "_cunts_ who want to fuck every girl they see. Ron you wanted to fuck Fleur in our fourth year and ever since! You wanted to use that book you gave me for my 17th birthday to get girls in your bed. I swear to god Ron, if you look at Juliet the wrong way I'll put a curse on your insuppressible dick that will make it light up on fire every time you get hard. I'm admitting it right now, I love Juliet. I know its only been a few hours since we met but she's the only girl who hasn't tried to get me for my money. In fact she hasn't even tried to hook up with me. We've only talked about her. And if you must know I never _ever_ fucked Ginny. Me and her both decided to wait till we were married. You see this?" he reached into a drawer on his table and pulled out a ring. "I bought this for her a year ago. We were going to wait not fuck around everyday like you." For some reason, Harry's anger was rising. "And you being the _fucking manwhore_ couldn't see that. JESUS RON CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I DON'T _WANT_ THE FAME OR FORTUNE! IF I COULD GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE I WOULD BUT I'M STUCK WITH THIS STUPID SCAR AND TITLE JUST LIKE YOU'RE STUCK WITH RED HAIR AND FRECKLES! GOD YOU'RE SUCH A GIT!"

And with that, Harry stormed out of the room, leaving a stunned Ron, to nurse his swelling jaw. Ron flinched as the door slammed. He sat up on the floor and thought up a mirror to see the damage done to his face. _Damn Harry has a big fist._ He mused. Harry's punch had covered most of Ron's left side of the face. A house elf appeared with a bag of ice which it tossed, not handed but actually _tossed_, to Ron without so much as looking at him.

Ron pressed the bag to his cheek, sighing as the soothing cold sensation touched his warm skin. He sat there with his eyes closed then walked over to the mirror. _I gotta do something about this. I can't just go and look at the family with this. Harry'll get pissed at me for blaming him. But then he might get pissed if I don't come down at all. Oh well only one this left for it then._ Sighing and wishing Hermione was there, Ron waved his wand, slowly Transfiguring his face so that the swelling and bruising was gone. There was no sign that he'd been punched but the pain was till there and his cheek was still sensitive to touch. He paused and looked at his whole body. _Hmm just a bit too thin._ He lifted his shirt and looked at his bare front. _Too scrawny. _he thought. Taking his shirt off, he tossed it to the floor and waved his wand again. His flat chest swelled and developed lines of sinew. He waved his wand again and his shoulders bulged by two inches, the muscle in them having grown magically. He waved his wand a third time and found that he had biceps to rival Charlie's, the "dragon-wrestler" as the twins fondly called him. A fourth wave of the wand gave Ron a washboard belly with a brilliant six-pack. Ron bent and put on his shirt and was not surprised to find that the shirt was too tight. Taking it off again he undid the magic and stared for a minute, trying to think of a few spells that his father had told him about. A look of delight crossed his face and he waved his wand once more. At once, his muscles bulged to inhuman sizes, with his biceps being twice as big as his head. This increase in muscle mass gave him added height as well; he had to kneel to see his upper half in the mirror. Satisfied, he waved his wand again (with much difficulty) and immediately the size of the muscles began to shrink as he lowered his wand **(A/N: THINK OF A LIGHT IN A ROOM WITH A DIMMER SWITCH. YOU MOVE THE SWITCH UP, THE LIGHT GETS BRIGHTER. YOU MOVE THE SWITCH DOWN, THE LIGHT DIMS. SAME PRINCIPLE)** till he was satisfied. His muscles had grown in just a couple inches from his original shape, nearly unnoticeable he thought, and the T-shirt fit him well, stretching just a bit. Ron looked around and picked up Harry's copy of _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways To Charm Witches._ _I know there was something about strength in here some—ah here it is._ He read for a few minutes then walked back to the mirror. Positive he could pull of the spell, Ron muttered it under his breath. Now he had the strength his newly toned muscles boasted. At least now he was better at something than Harry was. He turned to the bed and grabbed the two legs. Straining only slightly, Ron managed to lift it up with his two hands yet it felt no lighter than a child's crib. He thought he could have someone "accidentally" drop something heavy in front of her so he could go and pick it up. He headed out of the room and ran into Hermione, who was poring over a book as usual.

"Hey Hermione." He said.

"Yeah." She responded distractedly. Shrugging, Ron followed her into a room with Harry and Juliet sitting at the table laughing. They turned their heads at the newcomers and Harry smiled widely, more at Hermione than Ron. Hermione looked up at Harry and was momentarily surprised to see a girl sitting there looking extremely shy.

"Who's this?" Hermione asked politely, sitting down.

"That's Juliet, one of Harry's new friends." Ron answered before Harry had a chance to speak. Ron had a smirk on his face and he was making a big show of taking his jacket off, which seemed to be stuck at his wrists. This position emphasized Ron's new muscular chest and Ron flexed his arm's for effect as well.

_Sykes do you see something different about Ron?_

_Other than he's acting like a bigger idiot? No._

_No something physical but I just can't seem to place it. _

_Neither can I Harry. I'll study him closely and let you know. _

_Thank you._

Finally managing to take his jacket off Ron sat down with his elbows on the table and his hands supporting his chin. As he was sitting more or less to Juliet's left, he flexed his right arm slowly and waited. Someone was sure to notice sometime.

"So what were you reading Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Well that can wait I suggest we try to get to know Juliet—I'm sorry I didn't get your last name."

"Aris. Juliet Aris." Juliet smiled sweetly and held out a hand which Hermione shook.

"I'm Hermione Granger. This is Ron Weasley. Of course you know Harry Potter."

"Pleased to meet you Hermione."

"So what are your hobbies Juliet?" Hermione inquired.

"I love sketching things. Usually imaginary or fictional creatures that pop up in my head come out on paper. I love to play Quidditch—"

"Which position do you play?" Ron interrupted rudely.

"Seeker." She responded, not even looking at him. Juliet might have been a blonde but she wasn't stupid. She knew Ron was flirting with her. Why else would he make a big show of taking his jacket off? And why was he flexing his right arm over and over again? To get her to sigh in awe or something? She continued to talk. "and I'm an only child."

"I play Seeker on my team for Hogwarts Gryffindors." Harry smiled.

"Well besides Ron, all of us are only children. Harry's parents died and he had no siblings, my parents started their job right after I was born and they just can't afford to take care of another baby right now. Ron's mother is magical so I suppose she can manage somewhat."

"Well my parents were Aurors. They were on the Malfoy trail and the Malfoys found out and they took me to blackmail my parents. They ended up killing my parents instead of me."

A silence followed as everyone(except Ron) digested what they heard.

"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered.

"It's fine."

"Right so anyone want to play some Exploding Snap?" Harry asked loudly, trying to distract everyone.

"What's Exploding Snap?" Juliet asked innocently. Harry gaped and Hermione too stared a little wide-eyed.

"How do you not know Exploding Snap?" Harry asked.

"How do you not know Go Fish?" Juliet shot back playfully.

"Of course we know how to go fish! You take a fishing pole and go fish!"

"I meant the game silly."

"…oh." Harry sniffed in mock hurt.

Hermione and Juliet giggled. "Here let me teach you how to play." Hermione offered. Quickly seeing the attention was coming off of him, Ron blurted out, "Harry wanna arm wrestle?"

"Er…sure."

"Ooh arm-wrestling! A game almost everyone knows!" Juliet squealed excitedly.

"Go on Harry." Hermione encouraged him.

"Yeah mate what have you got to lose?" Ron asked, thinking, _besides the little respect that girl has for you._

Harry laughed and agreed. The two boys clasped right hands and Hermione held their hands steady.

"On the count to three. One, two, THREE!" she yelled and let go. Immediately, Harry strained and gave it all he had and Ron seemed to be losing. Harry locked eyes with him. He'd forgotten the fight they'd had and was now simply playing with his friend not trying to beat him or anything. Ron seemed to be putting up equal resistance but there was something fake about his expressions. Harry could see the ghost of a smile behind them. _Why's he laughing?_ Harry thought. He ignored it and put some more juice into his arm. It took all Ron had to keep himself from laughing aloud. He couldn't make it seem as if he had supernatural strength otherwise everyone would know he used magic. Therefore he had to make it seem like he and Harry were equal. The Girls weren't cheering but Juliet was watching their arms intently. For effect, Ron decided to let Harry win a little. He eased off and stoped right when his knuckles were about to this the table. He couldn't lose now. Harry gave it all he had. _Just one more inch._ He thought desperately. Then Ron began to inch up. Another inch. And another. Inch by inch, he began to level out till they were back where the started. Harry was beginning to tire now. He couldn't take much more and they were back at the beginning. Locking his arm, Harry stopped using his bicep and tricep and began using the strength in his shoulders. Ron didn't notice anything because his strength was well over Harry's. He simply made more faces till Harry was down halfway. Unable to fake it any longer, Ron pushed a little and managed to get Harry's knuckles to bang on the table. _How did he do that? I've never know anyone, magical or not, that can bring their arm back up all the way from down there. It's impossible. _

Juliet shook her head. Now her suspicions were true. She had noticed Ron's shirt to be a little tighter than the morning. And his flexing over and over along with asking Harry to arm wrestle only proved that he had done something to increase his strength. Hermione was amazed. She knew Ron was strong but since when had he been able to last in that loser position for that long and still managed to win?

_Sykes did you see anything?_

_Harry have you noticed Ron's physique?_

_No why?_

_Well look at his arms and chest. Don't they seem to be a little bigger to you?_

_Now that you mention it yeah they do!_

_I believe he's used a cleverly made spell to enhance his physical capabilities. Either that or what you humans call, steroids._

Harry laughed in his head and said, _We'll see. I invited Hagrid to the castle. Hagrid said he was bringing his own Christmas trees._

_And?_

_You don't know Hagrid's Christmas trees Sykes. They stand at least twelve feet tall and I'll bet anything they weight three hundred pounds at most. Knowing on, he'll want to "help" Hagrid moving the trees. If he can then he's used a spell._

_You're very devious._

_Thank you I try._

Later that day, Hagrid's letter arrived, telling Harry and the gang that he'd not only brought the trees but some presents for each. Hagrid would be arriving in a day. Harry grinned and looked around to see that it was only Ron and Hermione with him.

"Wait where's Juliet?" he asked.

"I'll go look for her." Ron offered, already walking away.

"Not so fast Romeo. We all know what you want to do once you find her. _I'll_ go look for her." Harry said pointedly.

"What's he talking about Ron?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Ron here seems to feel that Juliet is a bit stressed and he wants to help her get rid of said stress by hopping in bed with her.

"Ron that is despicable!" Hermione hissed. Harry used the distraction to get away and look for Juliet. He found her in a hallway, looking very scared, with tear tracks running down her face. He walked up behind her and as he got closer, he heard her fast breathing and sniffling.

"Juliet?" Harry whispered. Startled, she spun around with a left back hand punch. Years of expecting Dudley's punches had taught Harry a thing or two. He caught her wrist and pulled her in for a hug before she could do anything else.

"Oh my god Harry you scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry. Just saw you weren't with us and went to go look for you before Ron could."

"What's with that guy anyway?" she asked, wiping her eyes. Harry conjured up a box of tissues which hovered in front of her. Giving a watery chuckle, she grasped te box and wiped her eyes with a tissue. He began to walk and Juliet followed him at his side.

"Ronald tends to think in a rater perverted manner."

"Why?"

"Beats me. He think you—nevermind." Harry broke off before anything else could be said.

"No tell me." She persisted.

"Not now."

"No. Now." She demanded, turning him around. Her voice was gentle yet demanding and her touch was soft but firm.

Harry sighed and said, "He seems to think you're stressed out so he wants to help you get rid of the stress by…well you know. Shagging."

"Shagging?" Juliet asked. She had a god idea of what he meant but wanted to be sure.

"Yeah like…"

"Sex?"

"Yeah. He—yeah." Harry stated simply. By now they were heading down to her room. Harry walked in and stood with her at the doorway

"I'll place a charm n the room that won't let him in okay?" Harry whispered kindly.

Juliet nodded and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "It's not really Ron that I'm scared of. It's the fact that he reminds me of Draco. I didn't get Lost Harry. I just…he was walking right next to me. He was pushing Hermione out of the way so he could stand next to me. And every time I looked at him I saw that glint in his eye. That same glint, Harry, the same glint! Malfoy always had that glint whenever he'd…" she trailed away, unable to say it.

"Violated you." Harry gently murmured. Juliet nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out in a hiss. Harry looked at her sympathetically, and then watched as she lay down on her bed. Shaking his head, Harry followed and picked her up.

"Harry! What are you doing?" Juliet cried, startled. Harry deposited her in a chair and went back to the bed. Moving the covers and blankets, he went back to Juliet and tucked her into bed. Despite this, she sat up and Harry pouted.

"What?"

"You ruined my handiwork! Now I have to tuck you in again!"

Juliet laughed for a bit then stopped and stared at her hands. Why was life so hard for her? So could never find someone to good enough. Everyone she had ever been with wanted her because they wanted to screw her or show off to their friends or tell everyone that they got the hottest girl in school as their girlfriend. Thus, she'd realized that the only way to get a good guy was to either be horrifyingly creepy and disgusting and see if a guy still went for her, or avoid guys altogether and see who she let in her heart. So far only Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and the twins were in her heart. Juliet thought back to that fateful night, when her parents had been caught. She was fast asleep in he room when a rustling sound awoke her. Knowing better than to move and alert the potential enemy, she faked to be asleep and listened hard. Someone or something was obviously in her room. Judging by the light footsteps it was either a woman or a teenage boy. The figure stifled a cough and by that, Juliet assumed it was a boy. Suddenly, she was roughly picked up by the throat and thrown against the wall. The smell of blood, sweat, and grime hit her nose and she began to breathe through her mouth. The long nails of the hand that held her up were digging into her skin. She scrabbled at the hand and was shocked to realize that the hand was hairy…_very_ hairy. Almost like fur. It wasn't till a cloud outside shifted and the moonlight shone through did she realize that Fenrir Greyback had come to her house. But someone else accompanied her. A young boy who seemed very good looking at first but then she realized he was intruding as well.

"My my. This one's tough. And she's big for her age. She'll be hard to digest." Fenrir finished with an evil leer.

"You know the rules Fenrir. We aren't supposed to kill the girl. Just transport her to Malfoy Manor so she can serve a better purpose." The boy spoke with contempt in his voice. His sleek blonde hair shone in the moonlight. His hair was so bright a blonde that at first glance he appeared to have white hair in the moonlight. Fenrir's bloodshot eyes shone through the dark.

"Now Draco your father said I could have what I wanted—"

"Of the girl's _family._"

"Damn. Ah well there's her mother. Now _that's_ a treat. Soft, warm flesh. So delicious."

Disgusted and horrified, Juliet looked away. She felt the squeezing sensation one always felt when someone Apparated. She arrived at a large home and immediately recognized it as the Malfoy Manor. Her parents, Top Aurors along with Alice and Frank Longbottom, were on the Malfoy case. They had shared basic information on the case with their daughter such as the naes of the suspects, the known aliases, and where they lived. The picture that she had seen of Malfoy Manor seemed nothing compared to the real thing. It seemd so big. She was roughly shoved through the iron gates and through the front door.

She felt her self being pushed down the hallway and led down the stairs by the boy. He led her to a table. The table was made of steel and was riddled with holes. The boy grabbed her nightshirt and tore it off. There se stood, in her pajamas and a bra, gazing at the boy with defiance. He smiled, actually _smiled_, and then led her to the table and gently strapped her down, tightening the straps around her wrists. He strode right over to her and bent down low to her ear, where he whispered, "Just make up some random information. Make sure it's convincing. I'm still going to have to make it look like I tortured you a bit. Brace yourself. He gave her a clean handkerchief and told her to bite it. Once she did, he slowly pulled a lever. The gears turned and Juliet felt needles prick her back. Her eyes widened with fear. How long were these needles? How much was he going to have to torture her? Why he being so nice? Luckily, he stopped and released the lever. Unstrapping her, Draco lifted Juliet off the table and put her on a chair, again strapping her down. He walked around to her front and asked, "Are you alright? Those needles are rather long I didn't stick them in all the way. Just an inch. Now for some bruising hexes. Ready?" Juliet nodded silently. The boy waved her wand and Juliet saw her stomach grow a apple sized bruise and a nasty purple and yellow one on her left arm. He then pulled a small knife and cut the side of her forehead. "Just to make it look like I beat the answer out of you. Did you come up with something?" he asked. Juliet shook her head. I'm gonna have to keep going till you do then. I'm sorry." He said and he looked like he meant it. Finally she came up with an idea. She'd go with his plan. He seemed nice enough after all. So she spoke up.

"I came up with something." Draco stopped in the act of leading her to another machine and turned around with a look of relief on his face.

"Great! Let's go!" he said enthusiastically. He tied her wrists again and carried her carefully to the top of the stairs where he set her down and pulled her through the door roughly for effect. She went with it now, realizing it was part of the plan. She moaned, making it seem as if she was in much pain. Draco dragged her roughly to the living room and she was thrown to the floor. A hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her up to her feet. She stood up and looked around, dazed. Lucius Malfoy, his wife, a woman with heavily lidded eyes and black tresses stood near the fireplace. Fenrir stood behind a leather armchair with his arms crossed. Draco went and stood in front of the door.

"I-I'll tell you everything I know. Just don't-don't hurt my family."

"Americans." Lucius made a scathing noise to the woman with black hair. "Yes yes we promise. Just tell us what you know."

"I know that The Minister is planning on passing a new law that makes any spell used to harm punishable by death. He only spoke to a few people about it. My parents were one of the few. I know that Frank and Alice Longbottom are going to be fired from your case. They can't seem to find you so they're giving up. The Auror Corps can't wait on those four forever so they picked someone new."

"Who?"

"I don't know." Seeing the death glare the man made she screamed, "I swear I don't know I really don't!"

"She's telling the truth Lucius." The black haired woman said.

"And how do you know Bellatrix?" The woman named Bellatrix simply tapped the side of her head and Lucius' wife answered for her.

"Legilimency dear."

Thankfully, Juliet put up a strong shield and left out only the bull crap she's spun down in the torture chamber.

"I don't think she's telling the truth though."

"She smells of fear…and anger…mostly fear…but I don't smell any dishonesty there." Greyback put in. a moments silence followed. And then:

"Bring in her parents." Lucius' voice drawled.

"No Juliet don't you dare tell them anything! Nothing you hear me?! We know what we're doing love!"

"Mom I'm sorry I told them everything." Juliet cried. Little did the assailants know that, Juliet had just lowered her shields and had told the truth of what happened to her to her parents, who performed Legilimency on their daughter. Once seeing the truth, they played along.

"Dear what did you tell them!?" Her father asked urgently.

"Everything dad! I told then about Frank and Alice being fired and the new law and the auror corps not waiting! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine dear. It's fine. We died fighting evil and cowardice. We love you dear. We—"

"Oh enough! _Diffindo!_" Bellatrix cried. Her cutting curse was aimed for her parents' throats. Her parents were dead before they hit the floor. Juliet knew they would die, but she couldn't help but cry. She cried harder than ever that night.

"Don't you have something else to tell them?"

"W—what? What d-do you m-m-mean?" Juliet asked horrified. Was she supposed to come up with two lies not one?

"Oh I don't know. Something about you telling a fake story!" Draco yelled.

"Draco what's this nonsense?"

"Dad I knew she was tough so I acted all nice to her. I didn't torture her. I was real nice to her and I used a hex to give her those bruises. The whole time I was telling her, 'come up with a story come up with a story' and she did. Now you can ask her what she really meant about the Longbottoms or what ever."

"Good thinking son! You're a fine heir to the Malfoy family." Lucius exclaimed, clapping his son on the back.

"I suppose it was good thinking on his part." Bellatrix reluctantly agreed.

"Of course it was! That's my boy." Narcissa, Lucius' wife, cried triumphantly. Fenrir simply growled lightly and applauded the boy.

"Enough!" Draco cried. "Don't give her time to think of another lie. She's yours now."

Juliet remembered hours of torture and pain but she wouldn't talk. She remembered how they had said something about breaking her spirit before breaking her mind. She hadn't understood what they meant till one night, Draco appeared to her cell and unlocked the door. He grabbed her and tied her wrists and ankles. Blood dripped from her cut lip but she ignored it. What was he doing? A malicious glint appeared in his eye just then. He cast a Silencing charm around the room and ravaged her…

Again…

And again…

And again…

This went on for many months. Time flew by and before long she realized when Draco needed her to please him. Yet despite this her valor hadn't broken. She hadn't spoken a word about Frank and Alice Longbottom. The others stopped interrogating her and she hoped they had given up on her but when a newspaper was chucked at her. Reading the headline, Juliet burst into tears. The headline blared **LONGBOTTOMS DRIVEN TO INSANITY**

That was when she lost her will to live. That was when she took whatever Draco threw at her and didn't say a word. That was when she stopped fighting Draco when he was feeling….frisky. One night, she heard Draco bragging in a drunken manner about some redhead whom he made blind. That night, she heard screams from outside. Her little box-cage was not enough to protect her, as who ever was outside would want to know what was in there. Then after a while, all was silent, and then she heard Draco screaming in pain…only the phrase 'screaming in pain' seemed to tame. He seemed to be screaming as if boiling oil had been poured on his genitals, as if a thousand hot swords were piercing his body, the sound was indescribable. Then, the top of her cage tore away and she was looking up at a ghost…a ghost of a read head. Juliet took a random guess and called out the name, surprised when the ghost turned around. They held a brief conversation and Juliet turned to find Draco's body on the floor with the contents on his head all over a recliner chair. In the wall were to spinal cords dripping blood on the marble floor. The sound made the whole scene eerier. Juliet threw up what little dinner she'd been given. She immediately summoned a broom and flew out of an open window after getting rid of her sick.

Juliet decided that the best thing to do was to follow the ghost's orders or risk ending up like the Malfoys. She found herself at Viroid Castle after three days of nonstop flight to Gringotts. The goblins had been difficult to deal with but one seemed to realize she was telling the truth about her treatment at the Malfoy Manor. He secretly told her where Harry was and gave her a bag of gold from her own account. She decided to send this gold on food but by the time she finished the food and thought about decent clothes the gold was gone. Instead she stole some robes from Madam Malkin's and flew away on her stolen broom. Whenever she got some sleep, she always had nightmares about Draco or more specifically, the unnatural glint in his eyes whenever he was having his way. It was scary how the image of his eyes seemed burned into her head. She could never forget them. And now seeing Ron give her the same look…it scared her.

"Hello? Hello! Harry to Juliet? You still there? Ugh talk to me gorgeous." The word just slipped out and yet it seemed to bring her back to reality.

"What did you call me?" she snapped playfully.

"Erm…nothing. Why'd you phase out? What happened?"

"Nothing I was just thinking about what happened to me and what might happen if I'm not careful around Ron."

"Don't think on the past. And don't worry about the future. I'm here. And—and so is Hermione." He added quickly.

Juliet teared up and took deep breaths to calm herself.

"I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay." she said out loud to herself. But when she could contain herself no longer she let out a cry and tears fell from her eyes in earnest. She leaned forward and hugged Harry tightly who hugged her back just as hard.

"Oh What the hell I'm not okay!" she cried. For the good part of an hour she wept into Harry's shoulder. She finally began to fall asleep. Harry took her head off his shoulder and placed it back on the pillow. After tucking her in, Harry left the room and locked it with a spell that would cause Ron to explode into warts if he tried to enter without permission.

He was on his way back to his own room when he happened to look outside the window. What he saw froze the air in his lungs. Atop the snowcapped mountains and over the lush green forest and grassy hills, was a large green skull with a snake for a tongue. The snake was winding its way around the skull and the whole symbol grew larger and larger by the second till most of the land, including part of the castle was bathed in an eerie green light.

Harry leapt into action. Running down the hallway, he summoned Sykes, who flew beside his distressed master, and burst into the living room where he knew the remaining Weasleys, the Longbottoms, the Lovegoods, and the Finnigans were to arrive. Harry yelled for an elf and one appeared, obviously curious as to why his master lost his calm appearance.

"Yes Master Harry?" he inquired.

"I want you to wait here and tell anyone and everyone who comes through that fireplace that the Death Eaters are back and that I'm fighting them with Sykes. Understood?" Harry ordered. The little elf nodded and stared resolutely at the fire. Harry nodded and charged out of the room and burst into the main hallway of the castle. There he changed into his wyvern form and flew out of the window, shattering it into pieces. Sykes ruffled his feathers thinking to himself, _There's no way I can keep up with Harry. I'll have o change too._

And Sykes concentrated as hard as he could. His feathers came off and his skin became leathery. His height grew to almost 8 feet. Instead of feathered wings he now had dragon wings except that while dragons had another set of arms, he didn't. His legs and feet also lost their texture and grew leathery skin over them. His nails simply dropped to the floor and as his feet grew, Large menacing claws grew out. His beak lengthened and grew teeth, as did his bottom jaw. Sykes was now a Fire wyvern (him being a phoenix). Sykes leapt up and flew out of the "open" window after his master. Him being natural to flying, soon caught up with him and thought, _Harry!_

_Sykes?_

_Yes its me._

_You're an Animagus?_

_No I'm a phoenix. That magic is given to us. That is beside the point. We must hurry!_

_Yeah we should. Do you think you can weave your way through the trees while I keep going overhead?_

_What? Why? I'm sorry to ask but I must know your logic._

_It's fine. I'll distract them from up here. They'll be too afraid and too distracted to notice you. They'll be too busy trying to kill me and hit me with a spell._

_Harry I'm sure they'd see an eight foot red behemoth heading right at them through the trees._

…_Okay fine. We'll stay up here. But do the opposite of what I do okay? Can you do that?_

_Again…why?_

_If we fly side by side and they aim for you they might hit me. They best chance to avoid them all together is to be mirrors so we're never really side by side._

Sykes understood and looked back to the forest below looking for signs of the Death Eaters.

_There! _He called after a minute. Harry focused and saw the group. Right now there were only a few of them, but more Death Eaters were Apparating right outside the boundary of the wards around Viroid Castle. Even from this height, Harry could see Mulciber, Nott, and Parkinson.

_All from school. Death Eaters will never really die out. _Harry thought to himself. _Ready Sykes?_

_Set to go._

_Let's rumble._ And Harry flew up high into the air, almost straight up. Sykes likewise dove straight down. At once Harry halted in the air to look down and see what happened. Sykes slammed into the hard earth on his feet, sending a shockwave out, and looking up at Harry to see his next move. When Harry began to fly down, Sykes flew up at the exact same angle and crossed Harry. Harry took a hard right turn, still flying down. Sykes took a hard left and flew higher and higher up, still watching Harry. Harry hovered in place and so did Sykes, waiting to see what Harry did.

_Sykes, breathe up a fireball but hold on to it._

_Yes Harry._ Sykes expanded the space in his mouth while keeping his teeth shut. He felt a warm tickling sensation in his mouth and knew it had worked.

_Done Harry._

_Perfect. Now fly down here and trust me._

_Okay. _Sykes thought with some reluctance. He flew down fast and saw Harry flying up to meet him. He began to slow down but Harry thought, _NO! Don't slow down keep flying. In fact, fly faster. When I fly pass you I want you to let that fire ball go and move out of the way okay?_

_Yes._

Harry darted past him and Sykes spat the fireball out at the group below. He vaguely registered that storm clouds were gathering. Not taking time to see the damage, he halted abruptly and flew straight up, out of Harry's line of sight. Sykes heard a low rumbling and thought it was the clouds at first till he realized it was coming from Harry. Harry opened his mouth and spat a crackling ball of bright blue lightning. Once it touched the floor, the lightning energy, spread out from its striking point like a star. The bolts that hit trees traveled up the trunks and went straight up into the sky. It looked as if the ground was a thundercloud and the clouds were the floor. Bolts of lightning flew up from the tops of trees and disappeared into the sky. A scream was heard and Harry saw a figure rise into the sky, just a bit over the trees then fall back to the floor. Many more figures shot up and fell back to the floor in a crunch. The last of the lightning bolts disappeared and the storm clouds began to disappear. Sykes and Harry, who were still hovering in the same place, began to glide back to Viroid Castle to discuss the battle that had just taken place. Once back, they transformed back into human and phoenix, and went into the castle. The window Harry had broken was repaired and the elves were bustling about them, politely bowing. They two companions arrived at the living room to find a most intriguing character amongst the friends. Sykes gave a pleased caw. The figure had a long flowing white beard, rather like Dumbledore's. He didn't look frail, but he didn't look as if he would fall at the slightest touch. He wore dark purple robes and instead of shoes or sneakers, he wore knee-high boots.

"Ah Sykes! Good to see you again!"

"WHAT?!" Harry exclaimed.

_Harry. This is Merlin, my old Master._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: HELLO ALL! HERE'S CHAPTER FOUR! I'M SORRY CHAPTER TWO AND CHAPTER THREE TOOK SO LONG BUT…HEY I'M A FRESH WRITER! CUT ME SOME SLACK HERE! :D…THE DISCLAIMER THINGY WAS SAID IN CHAPTER THREE. **

**PREVIEW FOR CHAPTER 4: **

**MERLIN?????**

**KING ARTHUR? AAAH EXCALIBUR! YAY!**

**OC+HARRY ROMANCE**

**DEATH EATER ATTACK…ONLY THIS TIME THEY'RE NOT JUST RUNNING AROUND, BLAZING THEIR WANDS. THEY'RE…DARE I SAY IT…ORGANIZED???? OH NOES!!!!**

**HAGRID ARRIVES! YAY! HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP OUT IN THE FIGHT…HINT HINT ;)**

**Enjoy my readers! Once again, thank you my faithful partner and friend, nxkris, for excellent work and advice. Love you!**

"M—M—Merlin?" Harry stammered. The others nodded feverently. George just stared. Neville was clearly trying to hold back from jumping with surprise. Mr. Weasley was sitting in his chair, gripping the armrests very hard, obviously to keep from slipping off the seat.

"The one and only!" He exclaimed joyfully. "I've been, shall we say, brought back to help you out."

"Well first, not that your help isn't appreciated but…just you? And second, help with what?" George called, earning glares from everyone.

"Oh thank you for reminding me young man! It appears that even after 3,500 years of life I'm still unable to remember things as well I should." Merlin cried cheerfully, reaching into his pocket and pulling out three bags of powder. He reached into his other pocket but a surprised look crossed his face.

"Where the devil is my staff?" he muttered. Harry, who heard, summoned an elf to get his bag and to wake Juliet and bring her to the room.

"Your staff's coming Mr. Merlin." Harry said.

"And you have it why?"

_Merlin my old friend we must speak privately._ Sykes said projecting his thoughts to everyone.

"Alright." Merlin responded reluctantly. The two seemed to be holding a mental conversation. Merlin's face went from confused, to angry, to relieved, to shocked, the angry again, then to pleasant. Sykes flew back to Harry's shoulder and Merlin spoke again. "It appears you're the next Merlin young man."

Everyone stared at Harry and Merlin. Then Harry and George burst out laughing. The gathered people stared between Merlin to Harry to George.

"Harry, why are you laughing?" George asked through tears of laughter.

"Me? The next Merlin?" he laughed a bit more then asked, "Why are _you_ laughing?"

George burst into a fresh round of laughter and once he stopped he responded, "You? The next Merlin?"

"Ah you must be George?" Merlin asked.

"At your service Mr. Merlin." George responded with a bow.

"Just Merlin please. Sykes has told me a lot about you in the past few minutes. It appears you are a master at playing practical jokes on people." Merlin stated sternly, although everyone could see the ghost of a smile on his face.

George grinned and said, "Sykes is too kind."

An elf walked in carrying Harry's bag and dropped it gently in a chair. Harry reached inside and found Merlin's staff.

"Here you are sir." As he handed the staff over, Harry noticed the golden hand and wondered, _If Merlin's still alive then is Sykes no longer mine?_

_Sykes?_ He thought to the bird.

_Yes Harry?_

_You're still my phoenix right?_

_Of course Harry why would you doubt it?_

_Merlin—_

_Merlin's return does not make me switch masters. _

_WHOO! _

"Merlin what's in the three bags?" Arthur asked curiously. The others nodded, also curious.

"The remnants of three warriors from my time who'll help us in this war. And with the return of my staff, I can bring them back. Stand back if you please."

The gathered group squished themselves against the wall and watched closely. Merlin held out his staff and began to mutter a long incantation. The first bag began to glow in a bright red-orange color. Merlin began to say the incantation louder and the bag began to quiver.

Suddenly, the bad exploded with a bright light and once it faded away, a tall figure stepped through. His armor was a dark blue with bright gold lining the edges of each piece of armor. His cape was a gold color as well, and the corners were clasped around his neck, held together by a circular medallion. The shoulder pads were also gold. The hinges on his visor had gold wings protruding backwards. In his right hand he held a long broad sword **(A/N: I DON'T ACTUALLY MEAN THE WEAPON "BROADSWORD" I MEAN THE BLADE IS BROAD LIKE A EUROPEAN SWORD NOT LIKE A JAPANESE KATANA)** . The sword seemed to be emitting a red glow. All along the blade were lines intricately carved, each line weaving into another. The hilt of the sword was black and gold as well. Small suns and stars of gold were hammered into the black metal. The warrior towered over all people present, even Ron who was easily the tallest. Not only was the warrior tall but he was very large. His shoulders bulged, his hands seemed as if they could crush a skull, his legs made it seem as if he could run ten miles without tiring…or was it just the armor? With all that heavy armor, there was no way this warrior could match Harry's speed.

Merlin smiled and greeted the warrior. His next words caused everyone to double over.

"Greeting Arthur. I hope you are well?"

"I am well Merlin. But where in the name of Uther am I?" his voice was commanding, but also gentle at the same time. His voice seemed higher than Harry imagined, as if the person underneath the armor was just a teenager.

"Arthur, my friend, we have much to talk about. Please wait with the other humans as I bring back the other two."

"Two?" Arthur asked sharply.

"I could only bring back three others. I am sorry old friend." Merlin said miserably.

Arthur sighed and shook his head slowly. "Who?"

"Guinervere and Lancelot."

Arthur nodded and walked over to the other side of the desk, away from the humans who were still staring at him. Merlin now began to perform the same incantation, but his brow was furrowed and his forehead quickly became dotted with beads of sweat. Yet he did not give up. The second bag began to glow a bright blue color and once its shaking was over, it too exploded in a bright light. While everyone else shielded their eyes, Arthur simply stood with his sword at his side. A young teenage girl stepped forth from the light. Her hair was as black as Harry's and her lips were a bright pink. A jeweled headband kept her hair out of her eyes, yet a few strands of hair persisted and escaped, hanging down to her nose in front of her right eye. On her forearms she wore thin iron greaves that were hammered to look like long feathers. She wore a breastplate but she ignored the iron mail that was usually worn underneath. Her breastplate was an eagle's body covering her front with the wings wrapped around her body. The effect was rather pleasant. Her stomach was exposed, revealing a well defined four-pack. She wore small shoulder guards made of thick leather. Her black hair reached down to the middle of her back. She wore a bright blue skirt over a pair of thin leather thigh guards. Her shins were covered with armor similar to her arm guards. Three iron feathers formed the shin guards that covered her shins. She smiled at Merlin and he quickly explained how she came to be back. She saw the humans and politely curtsied to them saying, "Humans. I am assuming you are my hosts. Therefore it is proper for me to introduce myself. I am Guinervere." And with that, she went to go stand by Arthur, who greeted her. The two chatted silently and stopped and watched Merlin with concern as he flopped down into a chair.

"Merlin? Are you okay?" Molly asked, hurrying over.

"Yes yes just a bit fatigued that's all." He dismissed his loss of energy and stood up, swayed, and fell back down on the chair. He weakly looked up at Molly, who was giving him a stern glare. "Okay a _lot_ fatigued." That wrung a smile from everyone present, even Molly, who backed away and stood next to her husband. "May I get some water?" Merlin asked. Immediately, a glass of water appeared in front of him. He seemed to know this would happen, because he took the glass without question and drank from it. He closed his eyes for a moment then stood up again.

"Good. Now I shall bring back Lancelot."

"Merlin—" Guinervere began.

"He could only bring back three." Arthur answered quietly. She seemed to understand for her expression became somber and she stood near the bookshelf.

Once more, Merlin performed the incantation that would bring Lancelot to life. The last bag glowed a deep purple color. Once it was done shaking the bag exploded and the bright light issued again. This time the group (minus Arthur, Guinervere and Merlin) closed there eyes against the light. A young boy, possibly a bit older than Harry, stepped forward. He had brown curly hair that just reached his eyes. His eyes were a bright green but nothing like Harry's. He was clean shaven, except for a goatee. He wore no fancy armor like his comrades. He wore an gold mail shirt and a red cape. His shoulder guards were leather pads like Guinervere's, except that hers were a lot thinner. The gold mail shirt was a perfect fit for the man and this defined his V-chest **(A/N: THINK HALF THE V-CHEST BRUCE LEE HAS.)**. He wore white fabric leggings that were tucked in his leather boots. He too wore shin guards but they were simple plates that fit the exact shape of his legs. He appeared unarmed, but when he finished greeting Merlin he turned to walk to his companions and the group saw two deadly blades crossed across his back. The blades were slightly thick and were curved downwards. The points of the swords pointed down to the floor. Lancelot was a few inches shorter than Arthur and a few inches less broad as well but again that could just be because he did not have as much armor on.

Lancelot and the other two turned and looked at Merlin with rapt attention, ignoring everyone. Merlin collapsed in his chair and wished up another glass of water. Draining the glass, he stood up and introductions were made. After twenty minutes, the warriors stood behind Merlin and the group stood behind Harry.

"So _now_ can you tell us why you're here?" Harry asked.

"Yes of course. We are here because a Dark Mage is on the way to this castle. This castle contains vast amounts of raw power which he wishes to tap into. We are here to protect the magic in this place and we are prepared to kill him and be killed—"

"Again." Arthur threw in wryly.

"—again to save Viroid Castle." Merlin finished.

"This Dark Mage doesn't have any Horcruxes does he?" Hermione asked.

"None." Merline replied.

"Well then I'm sure Harry can take this guy all by himself. If Harry can take down Voldemort this guy should by a splinter in the thumb." George stated.

"Young man, this Dark Mage is a hundred times the wizard Voldemort. Voldemort's ingenuity to use Horcruxes was surprising, but where he relied on his Horcruxes, his magical power was still just as good as Harry's. This new enemy is very powerful, he matches my prowess that much is certain, and it is this power he is relying on to win this battle. We are however very lucky that he doesn't have any Horcruxes!" Merlin cried.

"Wait a sec…" Harry called out. Something didn't seem right. "If you knew about Voldemort, how come you didn't help us then? We wouldn't have had the war then."

"Harry you are the next Merlin. I saw and learned about Voldemort through your eyes and ears. Back then I was just a mere thought. Now that I have been given a body I must fulfill my purpose and then depart. Now where can we make battle plans?"

"Battle plans? What now? But if he's coming now then we should get more people here! The rest of the order should be here!" Arthur exclaimed.

"No no my man he's not coming yet. I just want to be prepared with several plans." Merlin chuckled.

"Oh." Arthur responded in a rather small voice."

"This way." Harry called, already walking out of the room. The others followed him and whispers could be heard about the new arrivals. Juliet rounded the corner and Harry's face lit up. He kept walking and she kept pace asking what was going on. Ron, who had seen her round the corner, ran forward and shoved Harry out of the way.

"Well basically we found out Merlin came back to help us beat a Dark Mage. He brought back King Arthur, Guinervere, and Lancelot. They're supposed to help us out in the war that's going to happen sometime soon. Of course this Dark Mage won't get far. Me and Harry will take care of him. Right Harry?" Ron asked. Forgetting Harry's warning about his genitals, Ron snaked his arm around her waist. Just then several things happened at pushed Ron off and waved her wand at him. Harry waved his wand at him as well. Hermione, too,waved her waved at him. Ron's face was covered in green pustules from Juliet's curse. Harry, true to his word, placed his curse on Ron that caused his genitals to light on fire whenever he got hard. Ron began to clutch his crotch tightly, yelling for water. Hermione brought back the canaries she conjured in their sixth year and had them attack him. Arthur and Molly cried out for their son, and George laughed his head off, trying to congratulate the three on well placed curses. Merlin and his band simply stared at the group, but one could see the smiles if they looked closely. Once everything had calmed down, Harry explained the whole situation to the parents who were very shocked to hear that he would simply not let Juliet alone. They agreed that he was to be punished but with curses that bad was out of line. They begged Harry to lift the curses and harry complied, waving his wand. Immediately Ron stopped scrabbling at his crotch and began using both arms to try and swat the canaries away. Hermione relented and lifted her curse but made it clear that he was not to be given a salve or potion for his cuts. Juliet plainly refused and told him to get out of her sight. Ron did so, walking away dejectedly. Too mad at being revealed in front of the entire group, ron spun and punched the pillar. Harry expected him to cry out in more pain, but was very _very_ surprised when the stone pillar cracked. Choosing to ignore it however, Harry continued on his way and finally they reached an empty room lined with bookshelves. Each book was either a history book on past wars, or a book on war strategies, negotiations, etc. Hermione's eyes lit up. In the center there was a large table. On it there was a huge, blank sheet of paper with a quill resting on it. Different color inks were resting on the table. An old alarm clock sat in the corner. Parchment for letters were stacked underneath a bird perch. Sykes happily leapt off of Harry's shoulder and landed on the bird perch. Merlin strode to the desk and sat down in the chair, pulling the quill towards him. He began to write in strange lettering and drew a map of the whole castle plus the surrounding land. Everything was labeled but in a different language.

"Now from this we can tell that—"

"Merlin? From that we can tell that only you four can read it. The rest of us are in the dark mate."George pointed out.

"Ah of course. I think I remember the current rune system. Alphabets you call them?"

"Yes but I think I should do it." Harry said, moving forward. Merlin gave up his seat and Harry obliterated the writing and replaced it with his own. Merlin could be heard whispering to himself things like, "Of course!" or "Ah yes _that_ is what the J looks like."

"Okay the map's done. First things first I suggest we all take a scaled down copy of this map and go as a group to see where all these things are. That way we'll be familiar with them." Harry said.

The group agreed and Harry led the way out of the castle once the copies of the maps were made. Once they reached the outside, Harry referred to his map and saw "LAKE" staring out at him. He looked over in the direction ad saw his lake. That he knew was there because he'd gone for a few dips in the lake a couple times. "FOREST" was directly in front of him. It was about fifty yards away but as long as they knew where everything was it was fine. "CAVES" caught his eye next. Not being the best with maps, he asked Hermione to take over. Hermione led the way to the caves, which were to the right of the castle, about a mile off. Next to the caves was a statue of a centaur. The centaur had a bow drawn upwards, as if he were going to shoot the sky. They gave the statue a questioning glance and then back at the map. Where the statue was on the map, it was labeled "SHELTER" but no one could see any shelter of any sort. Merlin walked forward and tapped the hoof of the centaur. Immediately the leg curled up and a tunnel entrance was seen.

"This statue serves as a guardian for those inside. Even inside the tunnel there are more defenses should the statue fail. " Merlin explained.

They travelled far beyond anywhere Harry had traveled alone. They traveled to a place called "NESTING GROUNDS" and saw many baby hippogriffs playing around with their parents. The parents got defensive and gathered around their young but with the traditional bow from the humans they relented and the group played with the babies for a while. Harry was overjoyed. These nesting grounds had been here all this time and he hadn't known it? They promised never to enter "RUINS" as everyone could feel the evil roiling off of it. The entrance was two stone snakes curved around each other, forming a heart. Once the group entered the snakes lowered their heads and seemed to watch the intruders with interest, as if daring them to try and leave. All around there were skeletons either holding hands or sitting in private corners. It seemed as if this was some place for romantic evenings. Magically the skeletons stood up and drabbed hold of each of the members of the group, willing them to stay longer, to dance with the dead bodies, but Merlin saw through the veil. He immediately warned them of the danger and the fled the place. It was simply too dangerous. All over they went, seeing places of wonder and places of horror alike. Once they saw their fill of the land they traveled back to the Battle room, discussing the places they saw all the while. Arthur, Guinervere, and Lancelot never said a word. Lancelot had yet to speak to the group though he gave smiles and nods, and Arthur ignored them altogether. Guinervere was neither shy nor outgoing. She was simply there like a bodyguard, hugging her bow like a lifeline.

"Good. Now, we've seen all the places that are to be seen. I suggest we begin to plan." Merlin suggested. The group nodded and gathered around Harry, who was sitting in the chair in front of the original map.

"From what we know of the Death Eaters, they tend to use brute force to win a battle. That's why they lost at the Battle of Hogwarts." Hermione stated quickly.

"But this time they'll be organized." Merlin retorted."We need to think of new plans. Arthur, Guinervere, and Lancelot will each lead a battalion of witches and wizards. That will be sure to outmatch the Death Eaters. I will personally be fighting with you all. We will all follow you Arthur." Merlin said without looking up. King Arthur nodded silently, while Arthur Weasley stared.

"M—me?" he stammered.

Merlin looked up calmly and said, "No I meant the King. Would you like to lead in his stead?" Merlin asked kindly.

"No no I'm no good with power." Arthur stated modestly.

"Oh nonsense dear you are heading the Office for the Detection and Confiscation if Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects **(A/N: HARRY POTTER 6…ARTHUR'S NEW JOB.)** and you have many people reporting to you so you obviously are good with power." Molly said kindly.

Arthur merely shrugged and said, "No I'd like King Arthur to lead."

"As you wish." Merlin shrugged. "Now Harry, Sykes, and I will fight the Nameless Mage and try to defeat him."

"Wait what if he decides to attack the castle directly? We need to have some sort of back up."Charlie called, speaking up for the first time.

"Hmmm…." Merlin said, more to himself than everyone else.

"Aerial assault?" Harry suggested meekly. "We could have a separate battalion waiting in the towers of the Castle. If we see he's attacking the castle, and we can't keep up, then we'll fire sparks in the air, signaling them to take off immediately and fight."

"That's a perfect idea Harry!" Bill and Merlin exclaimed.

"Wait…instead of brooms why don't we use the hippogriffs? They'll be even better." Hermione said from one of the bookshelves.

"Great!" Harry said.

"What about under ground?" Charlie said. He was coming up with all the different ways an enemy could attack. He'd state them and everyone else would find out ways to oppose the threats.

"That will be hard. It's hard enough to fight underground as there's always a chance of the tunnels collapsing. And it's near impossible to send a spell, curse, jinx, or hex through the earth."

Everyone thought for a while and Neville spoke up, unsure whether he would be praised or laughed at.

"Devil's Snare?" he muttered to himself. Merlin heard and laughed aloud.

"What are you laughing at?" Neville asked.

"My boy you could come up with solutions to almost every problem! Devil's Snare!" he called out. Cries of recognition were heard and Neville was clapped on the back.

"Of course! We'll plant Devil's Snare all around the castle—" Hermione began.

"No. Plant them underneath the soil."

"Why?" Hermione asked, affronted. Clearly she was not used to having someone else come up with answers faster than her.

"Merlin said it's hard to fight underground because the tunnels can collapse right?" he asked. Merlin nodded.

"Knowing that, they won't be able to do much quick moving. Once the Devil's Snare roots grab hold, the Death Eaters will try to resist and the comrades will either back up and run away or try and fight back. I'm willing to bet a hundred Galleons that they'll use _Avada Kedavra_ before anything else. Seeing as that doesn't work on Devil's Snare, the curse will probably explode or rebound all over the place, causing the entire tunnel to collapse." Neville finished with a small smile. His grandmother smiled proudly and clapped her grandson on the shoulder.

Hermione saw the whole plan and was very surprised. Neville might not be the most adept wizard, but when it came to such strategies, he was as good as Merlin. After all, no one thought of using Mandrakes or Venomous Tentacula in the Battle of Hogwarts but him. She smiled sweetly and nodded, congratulating him. Suddenly the alarm clock sounded. Guinervere promptly jumped and drew an arrow and almost shot it but stopped when Merlin shook his head.

"Well then. I'm sure we've got everything covered. I wasn't expecting the plans to finish so quickly. Harry may I speak with you alone?" Merlin asked.

"Sure." Harry said and he led the way to a quiet corner of the room. "Yes?"

"Harry I don't want to impose on you but if Arthur, Lancelot, Guinervere and I could have rooms in your Castle we'd be most humbled."

"Oh it's not a problem! I'll get a few of the gang to guide you all to your rooms. I take it you'd like separate rooms?"

"That would be appreciated very much, thank you Harry."

"Sure. I'll guide you to your room. George can take Guinervere. Hermione'll take Lancelot. And Arthur can be guided by Arthur or Molly." He whispered.

"Hey guys?" Harry called. Everyone stopped talking and looked at him. "These four are going to live here now so I gave them rooms. Hermione, I know you've read up on and probably memorized each and every hallway in this castle so could you guide Lancelot to his room? It's up in the Astronomy Tower." Harry said with a glance at Lancelot, who's face remained passive but his eyes gleamed. Lancelot loved to gave up at the stars. Hermione nodded and went for the door but Lancelot quickly strode forward and opened the door for her. She blushed and muttered thanks, to which he nodded, and then the pair was out of sight.

"George, could you take Guinervere to her room?" Harry asked.

George looked at him innocently and said, "But I don't know a thing about this castle."

"Yes that's why I found a Fizzing Whizbee in my room with the label "Product of Weasley Wizard Wheezes huh?"

George grinned and said, "Okay you got me. Where do I take her?"

"Give her the room with a view of the lake eh?"

George nodded and opened the door for her with a bow. Guinervere stepped through the door with a dignified manner and, with a word of thanks to George and Harry, left with the former person.

"Arthur?" Harry said, as he fixed the table up a bit.

"_King_ Arthur. Yes?" King Arthur said kindly. He wasn't being rough but it seemed to have come out that way for Harry sounded affronted as he said, "I was talking to the other one."

There was a few moments silence and Arthur Pendragon said, "Apologies."

Harry shrugged it off and said to Arthur Weasley, "I was hoping you or Molly could take King Arthur here to the room in the center of the Castle? The one with all the weaponry?" Arthur Weasley nodded and opened the door for the warrior. Arthur Pendragon said his thanks to Harry and apologized again. He then left with Arthur Weasley.

"And I'll take Merlin to his room." Harry said. The others nodded and left. Harry, Merlin, and Sykes were last to leave.

_**Hermione and Lancelot**_

The pair walked side by side, Lancelot's armor jingling slightly. Hermione was desperate to ask questions but she said nothing, afraid to annoy the warrior. Suddenly, Lancelot spoke.

"What was that contraption that made the sound of many bells clanging together?" he asked. His voice was soft and light, but Hermione knew better than to judge a man by his voice alone. She frowned…clanging bells?

"What?" she asked puzzled.

"Back in the room we were just in. A sound was heard was it not? A high-pitched sound of many bells clanging together."

"Oh! It's called an alarm clock."

"But why?"

"Well an alarm clock gives off a sound when you set the time you want it to go off. See…if the time if 4:30 and I want the alarm clock to go off at 5:00 I need to set it so. That way I don't have to keep checking the time. A clock tells time. An alarm is used to inform you of something. An alarm clock is used to inform you of a specific time you want. Do you follow?"

"Ah I understand." He said, smiling. He had never met someone who could answer his many questions in such a detailed manner. He stayed silent for a few minutes, then spoke up again.

"I am new to this world. There are many things I do not know. Could you please show me the functions of my abode, that I may better understand this new world?"

Hermione stared blankly. _I've read Romeo and Juliet a hundred times over but even I have no idea what he's saying._ She thought.

"Wait you want me to show you all the things in your room?" she asked, taking a shot in the dark.

"Yes! Yes! That's it." He exclaimed.

"Of course. If you need any help then come to my room I'll show you where it is okay?" she said kindly.

Lancelot nodded. She showed him her room and from there led him up to the Astronomy Tower, where his room was. Lancelot struggled to remember all the confusing turns and promptly gave up, simply following Hermione to his room.

"What is a Hogwarts? Is it a new word of this century? Or is it merely the literal definition? The warts of a hog?" he asked her.

Hermione gave a tinkling laugh and said, "No it's a school. The full name is Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Ah then Harry is a master wizard then?"

"No what makes you say that? He's still only a student."

"A student? Who is his master? And why does he live in this castle then?"

"Well since he's at a school he doesn't have a "master". We gave up feudalism long ago. Now whoever goes to that school only has one master. His or her name is Headmaster or Headmistress. He lives in this castle because he earned it from someone."

"The Headmaster or Headmistress doesn't have a true name?"

"They do. See you're a knight and—"

"Warrior." Lancelot interrupted with a smile.

"Forgive me. You're a warrior and your name is Lancelot. If you were in our school we'd call you Warrior Lancelot. Same principal is used for Arthur. He is a king and his name is Arthur so we call him King Arthur. You see?"

"Yes."

After a while she stopped at a door.

"Well here's your room. Come in and I'll show you everything in here."

_**George and Guinervere**_

George walked with the woman next to him. The two were exactly the same height but where one walked with rigid spine, the other walked with an easy grace. For a few moments they were silent. Then Guinervere spoke up.

"What was that infernal contraption? It gave me such a fright!" she sounded cross.

"What the ringing sound?"

She nodded but did not look at him.

"It's called an alarm clock."

"Is that all it does? Make annoying sounds to scare people?"

"Obviously you're a nervous wreck right now. No one gets scared from an alarm clock."

"I was _not_ scared!" Guinervere exclaimed, turning to look at him.

George too turned with a calm but mischievous expression said, "I believe your exact words were 'It gave me such a fright!'"

Guinervere's eyes narrowed to slits but then she calmed down. "Alas you speak the truth."

He grinned and kept walking. "So tell me Guinervere—"

"No it's Guinervere."

"That's what I said."

"You pronounced it wrong!" and she proceeded to coach him how to say her name. George, being a guy, gave up after three minutes and said, "I have a better idea."

"Oh? And what might that be good sir?"

"I'll give you a nickname!"

There was silence for a minute but then Guinervere asked, "What is a nickname?"

"It's a shorter name for someone. Not everyone has them. Our dead sister's name was Ginerva but her nickname was Ginny. Get it? And the guy who was cursed into a near oblivion a few hours ago? His name is Ronald. But everyone calls him Ron."

"Why did your friends curse him? I did not understand the story."

"Well he doesn't think properly. The git thinks with his dick instead of his head."

"What does it mean to think with your dick?" Guinervere said innocently.

George burst out laughing. A highly dignified archer was next to him saying things only hormonal teenagers should be saying. "Don't say that again. You'll tarnish your reputation milady." George said with a wink.

Guinervere gasped and covered her mouth but asked, "What does it mean?"

"It means he only thinks about sex."

"Sex?"

George thought for a while before saying, "Consummating."

"So he was cursed by your friends because he thinks of naught else but consummation with the opposite gender?" Guinervere asked, unsure. George nodded.

"Now for your nickname. You're really innocent-looking so I'd give you Lily but that just doesn't seem to flow. Hmm…" he broke off and leaned against the wall looking at Guinervere critically. She stood cutely hugging her arms, with her head cocked to the side. "Gwen? Yeah how do you like Gwen?"

"Hmm…I suppose so. What about my friends?"

"I'll talk to them later. Right now we need another nickname for you. One only I use."

"Why?"

"Because I have nicknames for everyone. I make them up. See only _I_ call Ron 'little bro'. And only _I_ call my elder brother, Percy, 'Perce'. Charlie is another brother of mine, the one who thought about underground attack. I call him 'dragon wrestler'. My mother I call 'Dear old Mum'. So I need one for you."

"Ah I understand good sir."

After three minutes of silence George said, "Okay I'm going to call you 'Firefly'. Because you're quick to anger and you're cute. You like it?"

"It's a good name good sir." She whispered shyly.

"Okay you're going to have to stop calling me good sir. It makes me feel as old as Merlin. Call me George. That's my nickname." He laughed.

"What is your other nickname? One only I can use?" she inquired quietly.

George walked to her room, thinking all the while. When they reached her door, he said, "Bluffmaster."

"What?"

"A nickname for me only you can use."

"Oh. Thank you George."

George smiled and began to walk down the long hallway. Gwen entered her room and saw that it was much much more than a simple bed. She poked her head out of the doorway and saw George's retreating back. "George?" she called.

George turned back and smiled again when he saw her. He jogged back and said, "Yes?"

"Could you please explain to me all the things in this room? I have no idea as to what they are nor what they do."

"Sure!" and he entered her room, first showing her how to lock and unlock her door.

_**Arthur and Arthur**_

Arthur Pendragon walked beside the short Arthur Weasley, his armor clangling lightly and his footsteps making metallic sounds, like a robot. Arthur Weasley led the King down a flight of stairs. They did not speak for the longest time but when neither could bear the silence they both spoke.

"So tell me—", they both said.

"Apologies. Continue." The King said.

"Alright. How heavy is your sword?"

"Normally I would not give it to you but I can see you have noble intentions, therefore I will relent. Here." and without further ado, he handed Arthur Weasley his sword. The moment the King's grip left the sword, Arthur fell to the floor. Arthur Pendragon burst out laughing, throwing his head back. His laugh sounded metallic as his visor was still down.

"King Arthur? A little help if you don't mind?" Arthur cried weakly from the floor.

"I'm sorry. Here let me help you." And the King knelt and picked up his sword as if it were a feather. He knelt and helped his guide to his feet as well.

"Ah thank you." Arthur said.

"It was of no trouble. Now tell me this. What was that device that made such a clamor back in the battle room?"

"Oh that! It is one of my favorite muggle creations. It's called an alarm clock. What it does is…" And for an hour, Arthur Weasley verbally showed King Arthur the anatomy of a typical alarm clock. For once, the King actually understood what was being said. Arthur Weasley finished his lesson once they reached the King's room.

"I understand. You are a master of muggle objects."

Arthur Weasley muttered something unintelligible and shifted his feet.

"I have a favor to ask of you. Could you please show me the workings of my new room? I in turn will show you all I know about weaponry, provided it is here for me to use."

"Oh I'm sure we can wish up a few weapons. Why not? I'll show you King Arthur!" he cried.

King Arthur stepped back to let the overjoyed wizard in.

Arthur talked about his family, his job, the Order, and everything there was to know about life as a wizard in modern day life. The King, in turn, talked about his duties, his wars, how he became a king, about Excalibur, and his kingdom. Arthur showed the King everything in the room except for the weapons. When the King saw his reflection, he gave a cry and shattered the mirror with his sword, saying, "Thou are vanquished, shape-shifter!"

Arthur Weasley stared. He repaired the mirror and said, "King Arthur? That's called a mirror. It's a piece of glass that shows the reflection of the person looking at it. See?" And Arthur stepped into the field of the mirror. The King stared and cautiously raised a metallic fist. He waved the fist around and marveled at how the device copied his exact motions.

"This device is most fascinating. I wish to study it more. But for now," he stood up straight, "I will hold out my part of the bargain."

"It's no bargain between friends right?" Arthur Weasley said kindly. The King faltered for a moment then said, "I amend my words. I will keep my part of the promise." And though Arthur could not see his face, he could tell the King was smiling. The king then picked up a thin sword and carefully handed it to Arthur who took it confidently.

"Now practice with me. Copy me." The King seemed to be thinking for a moment for later he said, "Act as if you are my mirror."

Arthur grinned and did his best to keep up with the King. The King showed him how to wield a sword, how to block, how to attack, how to counter, how to parry, etc. He then picked up a bow and arrow and handed it to Arthur.

"If you wish to learn more about the bow and arrow, you must visit Guinervere. She is an expert. I am still learning from her." He then taught Arthur how to shoot a bow and soon Arthur was having the time of his life shooting arrows.

"Good. Now that you are well practiced…shoot me." The King stated calmly.

"W—what? Sh—shoot you?" Arthur stammered.

"This way you'll practice your archery on a potential opponent and I'll practice my swordsmanship on the projectiles. You'll see."

"But Excalibur is so heavy! Can you really swing it in time to stop an arrow?"

"My dear man if the arrow gets past Excalibur, there is no possible way a mere wooden stick can pierce solid gold and iron armor." The King chuckled.

"Okay." Arthur said reluctantly. From a distance, Arthur began to shoot arrows, slowly at first, then as fast as he could. He was truly amazed to see that the King could not only stop all the arrows, he could cut a few in half lengthwise. It appeared that despite all the armor he wore, he was still faster than a speeding arrow…or perhaps Arthur's aim was off. The two practiced into the day.

_**Harry, Sykes and Merlin**_

"So Harry tell me how you defeated this Voldemort character." Merlin asked.

"Well Hermione, Ron, and I went hunting for his Horcruxes. He made seven so we went for the first one; a locket. We found it in the Ministry of Magic and we couldn't find a way to kill it but we knew we'd have to use Godric Gryffindor's sword because it was impregnated with Basilisk venom, so we set out to find it. Find it we did and Ron got rid of the first Horcrux. Our headmaster, Professor Dumbledore said he'd gotten rid of one already, a ring, and I'd gotten rid of another, an old diary. So we had four more left. We knew that the Cup of Hufflepuff was another and we found if in a vault in Gringotts, a wizard bank, and destroyed it with a fang from the skeleton of the basilisk that I killed with Gryffindor's sword. Hermione got rid of that one. Then Neville, the one who suggested Devil's Snare back in the meeting, drew Gryffindor's sword and cut off Voldemort's snake's head because his snake was his fifth Horcrux. Then the sixth was in me, so I had Voldemort "kill" me and thus doing so he killed his own soul. I came back to life and so did he because the seventh part of his soul was still in him. And we fought and his killing curse rebounded and hit him and he died."

"Interesting story but I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Why didn't you summon the bits of his soul directly?"

"You can do that?" Harry was stunned. If he's known this magic he wouldn't even have had to leave the Burrow!

"Of course! Don't tell me you don't know the spell!"

"I don't! I couldn't even summon the Horcruxes forget the bits of his soul inside!"

Merlin groaned and ran a hand down his face. "What do they teach in schools these days?"

Harry laughed and said, "Not much. Mean a few spells have come in handy but most of the defensive and offensive spells I've learned aren't taught in the school. I learned them from books or separately from the teachers."

"Well if you are to become the next Merlin, you ought to have my knowledge of these things. From now on I'm going to teach you all the magic I know. Consider it summer school Harry." Merlin said with a laugh. It was Harry's turn to groan but in his head, he as rejoicing.

"Can Juliet practice with me too?"

Merlin looked at Harry quizzically. "Harry do you have feelings for Juliet?"

Harry sighed and said, "Sykes told you right?"

Merlin stared incredulously and cried, "You do?!"

Harry stared wide-eyed and stammered, "N—n—no. I mean I do but not…like that…"

_You dug your own grave there Harry._

_Shaddap._ Harry thought sulkily. Sykes merely chuckled.

"Okay. I feel weird talking about my crush to a 3,500 year old man."

"Well I've seen enough of the modern day to say I'll understand."

"Good point."

"Well?"

"Okay I'll admit it. I'm in love with the girl."

"Ah love. Something not even the most powerful mages, wizard, or witches could understand. Therefore I'm as inexperienced in this field as you are."

"I just wish she knew. Everytime I swear to myself that I'm gonna tell her but whenever I see her I lose my voice."

"Yes well the best thing you can do is distract yourself from this and your thoughts will naturally sort themselves out. So I suggest we get moving with those lessons."

"Merlin, why are the three warriors our age?"

"I thought they'd fit in more with people their age."

"They're atleast two thousand years old."

"Correction: I figured they fit in with people who look their age." Merlin grinned. He reminded Harry of Dumbledore except Merlin didn't look frail. Harry nodded and took the old man to his room. Merlin nodded his thanks, then shut the door quietly. Harry yawned when he remembered with a jolt about Hagrid. What was the point of fixing Ron's pustules now? They had all the proof they needed that Ron had magically altered his body. No one needed more proof. Harry decided to visit George, to talk to him about playing a prank on a certain red haired guy. When Harry arrived he found a note on the door that read, _Am in Guinervere's room helping her get acquainted with the appliances._

Harry shrugged and went over to her room. From inside he heard soft giggling. Harry cleared his throat loudly and knocked. The giggling didn't stop but George said, "Come on in." Harry prepared himself for the worst and opened the door. He found George and Gwen sitting across each other on the floor with a chocolate wizard's chess set in between them. Gwen would giggle whenever she'd take a piece from George, because she'd get to eat it. Apparently, she really liked chocolate. George chuckled just listening to her giggles. He was purposely losing so she could eat. Harry began to chuckle too because the sight before him was too funny. It wasn't everyday you saw a three thousand year old archer-princess lying on the floor on her stomach eating chocolate and giggling everytime she did. It was too cute. Harry wished up a camera and took a picture. Gwen stopped giggling at the flash and stared at Harry.

"Sorry it was a Kodak moment."

"What does that mean?" Both George and Gwen asked.

"Well it basically means that the moment you just took a picture of something that's worth keeping forever so you don't forget it."

"Can anyone have these Kodak moments?"

"Err…yes."

"I'd like one please." Gwen said, propping herself up on her elbows. "I'd like to use the Kodak moment to take an instant portrait of George."

Harry laughed and fixed his definition. "A Kodak moment is a moment you never want to forget. This," Harry said holding up the camera, "is a camera. I take it you want to take a picture of George?" he asked. Gwen nodded and sat up straighter as Harry showed her how to take the picture. George, for the first time Harry had known him, actually gave a genuine smile. Not a silly grin, or a mischievous smirk, but a decent smile.

Once she got her Kodak moment, she tucked it away at the bottom of her quiver and smiled at Harry.

"So who's winning George?" he asked playfully. "You or Guinervere?"

"George gave me a nickname."

"Did he? And what is that milady?"

"Gwen and Firefly. But only he can say Firefly." She said with a hint of a grin. Harry smiled and said, "Gwen then. Who's ginning? George or Gwen?"

"Me." She said brightly. She lay back down on her stomach and when she got another piece and ate it, she giggled cutely again. Harry smiled and gave a quiet chuckle. Gwen suddenly realized what she'd done and immediately sat up straight, grabbed Harry by the collar of his shirt, and tugged him down to her, face to face (he was sitting up on the bed and George and Gwen were on the floor). Harry's laugh was gone, as was his humorous expression. It was replaced by utter horror.

"You will not mention a word of my unladylike behavior to anyone in the Castle otherwise I shall pluck your eyes out with a rusty knife and feed them to a crow." She growled.

Harry, wide-eyed, nodded fearfully and muttered an okay. Gwen let him go and dismissed him. He assumed that she still felt she was a princess so he agreed and told George he wanted to talk to him later. George smiled and nodded. Harry walked out and looked out the window in the hallway. He saw a giant figure striding through the forest dragging a dozen Christmas trees, each at least fourteen feet tall.

Harry's heart leapt for joy and harry called out, "Hagrid's here!" He felt like a young child again but he didn't care. Hagrid was, apart from Hermione and Juliet, his best friend. He heard George yell something but didn't hear it. He heard the door slam and Gwen yelling for George to let either let her hand go, or stop running so fast. He ran through the halls yelling his call and those who heard, ran out of their rooms and followed him. Harry told Sykes, who was very anxious to meet the much talked about Hagrid, and told him to come to the Main Hall immediately. _Those runs around the castle helped a lot._ He thought to himself. He'd managed to tell most of his friends about Hagrid's arrival. The others were just running down to the Main Hall. Hagrid knocked on the huge main doors and Harry ran forward tugging the huge doors open.

" 'ARRY! It's good ter see ya again!" Hagrid boomed, dropping the ropes for the trees and hugging Harry tightly. The others ran forward and Harry wished up tables of food to appear as well as a large chair for Hagrid and normal chairs for the others. Ron appeared then, his face clear, and his muscles bulging even more than last time. Harry shook his head and said, "Hagrid do you need help with those trees? I could get someone to help." Perhaps people didn't need anymore proof, but it would feel good to humiliate Ron a bit. Hopefully he'd learn some manners.

"No it's fine 'arry I got it."

"Here let me help Hagrid." Ron called from the back. He pushed his way through h the crowd and walked up to Hagrid. Hagrid, not being the smartest person, accepted his help. The group backed away and George looked meaningfully at Harry. Harry, decided to pull his hands out of his pockets and place them behind his head. He leaned against the doorway and watched the two get to work. Ron was obviously hoping to impress Juliet for he again pulled off his jacket and threw it in the snow. His shirt was very tight on him and showed all his muscles clearly. Hagrid called, "Ron have you been working out?"

"Yes Hagrid!" Ron called back , relieved that someone shed a little light on his new appearance. Albeit all the people gathered didn't want to embarrass him so they said nothing. Once Hagrid pulled the first tree in he waited for Ron. Ron grabbed the bottom of the tree and pushed with all his might yet nothing happened.

"Seems those muscles are for show eh Ron?" Hagrid chuckled good naturedly. Just then, George waved his wand and the branches on Ron's tree came to life. They whacked him three times and the fallen pine needles began shifting in the snow. Once Ron got his bearings right, he saw the pine needles on the snowy floor and blushed deeply. The pine needles spelled "PERV" in huge letters and the remaining needles made an arrow pointing at him. The gathered people began to mutter and Ron, enraged, immediately pointed at Harry, yelling, "What have you got against me?!"

"What have you got against _me?!_" Harry yelled back. My hands were behind my head and I'm not Dumbledore who can do wandless magic. I'm good but not that good. You're just mad because I found out why you want to hang out with a certain blonde here."

Since Juliet was the only blonde, she discreetly pulled up her hood and pushed the bangs out of her eye.

"What are you talking about? I don't want to shag Juliet!" he roared back and immediately realized what he'd said.

"Ron…" Hermione began slowly. "Harry didn't say you wanted to shag her…why'd you jump to _that_ conclusion?"

"Dug your own grave Ron." George called. Ron blushed even more deeply and promptly punched Harry square in the jaw. Harry landed on the table at least twelve feet away, smashing straight through it. Juliet screamed and ran over to him so fast, she could have flashed like a phoenix. As it was, Sykes flashed over anyway, even if he was ten feet away, and began to cry on Harry's nose which was extensively broken. Once his injuries were healed Harry stood up and said, "You're no longer welcome. Get out." His voice was low and deadly.

Ron stepped forward and stood in front of Harry again this time about four feet away. He was clearly expecting a fight. "Make me." He whispered. Harry saw Hagrid look questioningly at Arthur who nodded solemnly. With a roar, Hagrid grabbed Ron by the scruff of his neck and carried him outside.

"Don' you have any decency? 'Arry told jer to get out!"

Ron wildly elbowed and caught Hagrid's nose. Hagrid, angry beyond belief, Took a fistful of the back of Ron's T-shirt, and threw him mightily from the castle entrance. He didn't throw him straight up, he threw him far but as low to the floor as he could. Ron landed sixty feet away in a heap. Sykes, also angry, flew out and landed on his chest. He disappeared with a flash and reappeared on Harry's shoulder.

"Where'd you take him?"

_I placed him on the top of the tallest tree in the forest._

"Arthur, Molly, your son is on the tallest tree in the forest. I'll give you two a pair of brooms so you can go find him. After that, I don't want to see him anywhere near this Castle. I'm going to modify the ward so Ron Weasley can't be let in and if he does get in through Polyjuice then once he changes back he'll be thrown right back on his bed in the Burrow."

"We'll go. Thank you for having us Harry. We're really sorry about what he's done. George, Percy, Charlie, pack your bags." Molly sniffed sadly.

"I didn't say _any_ Weasleys can't get in. I said _Ron_ Weasley can't get in. That means you stay till Christmas is over."

"But—" Molly began.

"Or I won't eat your cooking Molly."

Molly smiled and nodded. The boys gave a whoop and ran to hug Harry, apologizing on Ron's part. Arthur Weasley too gave Harry a hug and muttered in his ear, "He's become a disgrace to the Weasley name. No Weasley punches their own best friend."

Harry smiled and said, "Come on everyone! Let's get out of the cold." The house elves came up and began to clean the food off the floor by hand, but from a simple wave of Harry's wand, the mess disappeared. Bill and Charlie both said they had to leave anyway so they volunteered to find Ron and leave him at the Burrow. The two set off with brooms in hand and disappeared into the trees. The unplanned party continued well into the night. The two Arthur's sat across each other playing wizard's chess. For some reason, the King refused to even lift his visor. Gwen and George were also sitting next to each other. George was trying his best to get her to laugh in public but Gwen simply did not laugh or smile. Harry could tell George was getting very cross because there had never been a single person who could stand without laughing at his jokes for more than a few minutes yet here was a woman who had done just that for at least an hour. Molly sat with Augusta talking about the household. Lancelot sat with Hermione who held a muggle Reference book in hand and was describing things, making cross sections in mid air with her wand. Neville sat with Hagrid talking about grindylows and other magical creatures. Merlin sat with Harry and Sykes, talking about defensive spells and briefly describing the effects of them. Harry heard the word hippogriff leave Hagrid's mouth and quickly interrupted Merlin's description of a certain spell.

"Hagrid?" he said. Hagrid looked over, beaming at Harry.

"I've been meaning to tell you..we have a large hippogriff herd in the forest. If you'd like you can take them back to Hogwarts when were done with our business here."

Hagrid was obviously curious as to what the business was but said nothing. "Alright 'arry."

Harry flooed to Hogwarts and called the professors. McGonagall arrived first wearing her usual professor robes but she had felt a little festive and had changed the colors from black to greed and red. Flitwick changed his robes as well, charming them so they flashed merry Christmas in bright green. Harry invited Professors Vector, Trelawney, Sprout, and Slughorn. Each came with something festive to wear.

In the middle of his conversation with Harry, Merlin cried out in pain. No one else heard it besides Harry and Sykes, who leapt forward with concerned looks.

"Merlin? You okay?" Harry asked.

"I sense a disturbance in the force." He said through tightly gritted teeth. Harry ignored his impulse to laugh and asked, "Should we start preparing now for the battle? Should I send a team out to see what's wrong?"

"Nay it is far away and you could not find it. Send no one and do not alert anyone else. Tonight is festive. Let the others enjoy their time. Look Arthur seems to be enjoying himself—" he said, pointing at the king.

"Merlin he's pounding his knee in because he's losing to a wizard at chess."

A moments silence. Then Merlin, ignoring Harry's comment, pointed at Lancelot. "Look there. He seems to be in a world of joy."

"He seems to be in a world of pain trying to read that book." Harry corrected him smugly. Indeed, Lancelot was visibly gnashing his teeth as he could not seem to remember the modern day letters. Merlin glared at Harry for a moment then said, "Look at Guinervere! Hysterical!"

"Composed."

"Glorious!"

"Dull."

"She's—" Merlin began but Harry cut him off.

"Merlin you're lying through your teeth. They aren't enjoying themselves. I myself would find it hard to enjoy myself among people I don't know in a time I don't know."

"Harry…" he started but closed his mouth. He looked around and glumly looked back at Harry. "Yeah who am I trying to fool? They're miserable. How can we make them have at least a tiny bit of fun?"

The three friends forgot all about spells and curses, and devoted their time to thinking of ways to make the newcomers enjoy themselves.

"well Gwen seems to—"

"Gwen?" Merlin asked.

"Guinervere. George gave her a nickname."

"Oh. You were saying?"

"Gwen likes chocolate a lot. She was playing chocolate chess with George earlier. Seemed to be having the time of her life."

"What makes you say that?" Merlin asked. Harry simply pulled out a the picture of her on the floor, giggling like mad, eating a chocolate bishop. Merlin sniggered and said, "I know for a fact Lancelot loves books and learning."

"Be right back." Harry said. He stood up and held a whispered conversation with Arthur Weasley. When he came back he said, "Arthur seems to find mirrors cool."

"Mirrors?"

"Yep. He says they're fascinating."

"Well how about a funhouse for Arthur?" Merlin suggested.

Harry nodded enthusiastically and said, "And we'll leave Hermione and Lancelot in the library."

"Guinervere?"

Harry thought hard. Chess, chocolate, and archery? What could he do?

_Harry, do you remember the adventures you had in your first year?_

_Yeah, why?_

_The chess set Harry._

_I know! It was huge! The king's hand alone was the size of my head! But then I was a foot tall back then._

_Harry she likes chocolate, she likes chess, and she likes George! Leave them with a giant chocolate chess set!_

_She likes George?_

_Harry they are both teenagers! Of course she likes him! She…she completes him._

_You're right. _Harry thought, his mental voice shaking with laughter._ He's all fun and she's no fun at all._

Sykes sniggered and said _ Well? What do you think?_

_Immense chocolate chessboard it is. _He said to Sykes and aloud to Merlin, after explaining his silence.

"Arthur?" Harry called.

""Yes, my boy, what is it?"

"I was hoping you could take the King here to see the funhouse."

"You have a fun house?"

"Good point." He said and closed his eyes for a moment. Opening them again he looked at Arthur and said, "It's right outside. Don't worry about coats or anything, as the inside if quite warm." Arthur nodded and went off to tell the king. The two practically ran off to the funhouse.

Harry personally walked over to Lancelot and Hermione. Lancelot was trying very hard to keep his growing frustration in check. He didn't have the best short term memory, and therefore kept forgetting the letters Hermione taught him. When she'd ask him about them, he'd shrink into a stony silence and stare at his hands, struggling to remember.

"It seems our warrior needs a break Hermione." Harry chuckled. Lancelot smiled in gratitude.

"Sir Lancelot—"

"You may call me Lancelot."

"Alright. Lancelot then. Would you like to visit the library? I know you must be tired of books by now but there are a few books in there on your other deeds before King Arhtur."

"People wrote about me?" he asked, marveled.

"Of course! You're a splendid warrior!" Hermione said kindly. Lancelot grinned at her and stood up to his full height.

"Could you please lead me to this library?" he asked Harry. Just then, Merlin called Harry.

"Sorry I have to go. Why don't you let Hermione take you? She probably knows the way even better than I do." He said with a wink. Hermione blushed and muttered something about not being a bookworm. Harry ignored it, and walked back to Merlin, muttering, "Nice work."

He sat for a bit till Hermione and Lancelot left, then stood up and walked to George and Gwen. The two sat in silence, George because he'd given up trying to make her laugh and Gwen because she thought it was proper and ladylike to not say a word.

"Hey guys. So I have a game out behind the castle that I'd like you two to try out."

"No thanks." George muttered sulkily. Gwen shook her head.

"There's chocolate and a huge joke box for the winner but I suppose you don't need those things." Harry sighed, turning back.

"Chocolate?!" Gwen exclaimed, grabbing his wrist.

"Joke box?!" George shouted at the same time. Given the level of noise, no one heard the yells.

"Yeah but its fine, really, I'll go find someone else to try it out…" he faded off.

"You know now that you mention it, it is rather boring I think I'll go play that game." George said. He stood up and ran away to find the back door to the castle.

"Erm…it's hot in this room. I need some fresh air." Gwen wildly made up. She took off after George at full speed. Harry returned to his seat, to see Merlin grumble and pass a few bird treats to Sykes, who gobbled them up happily.

"I bet you wouldn't be able to get Gwen to leave. Clearly I lost." He muttered foully. Sykes trilled with joy and hopped over to Harry's shoulder.

_**Hermione and Lancelot**_

Hermione led the way to the library in silence. Lancelot was rather subdued and therefore he rebutted any attempts at conversation. Assuming he was mad at her, she shut her mouth and led the way over. Lancelot ran ahead and opened the door for her, but when she looked at him and smiled, she saw him staring at the opposite wall with a bored expression. He entered after her and looked around. Unable to read however, he stood there in the middle of the doorway staring at the strange text. A few letters popped out at him. He saw some A's and a few F's, recognized some M's and spotted a Q. This enraged him more as he could not read anything. Trying to control himself, he closed his eyes and took deep breaths, during which time, Hermione charmed all the books in the library to be legible for him in his own language. He opened his eyes and was shocked to see he could read everything. The titles of books had been translated magically. He looked around for Merlin and remembered that Hermione was a witch too.

He was conflicted in his feelings. He hated her for trying to humiliate him in front of so many people, but his conscience told him she was merely teaching him. He hated the fact that she knew so much more than him, but again his conscience told him that she belonged in this strange world and he didn't. He uttered his thanks in what he thought was a polite voice, though with the battle raging in his head, it sounded more forced. Hermione, clearly disappointed to the point of tears, nodded and quickly ran off to the farthest table to cry. Lancelot let her go, pretending he didn't know what happened. He faked browsing through books till she left and looked down in shame. He followed the sound of her crying till he arrived at the table. Sitting down across from her, Lancelot leaned on the table and picked up her head, gently from her own arms. She gave a sniffle and began to cry again. He let her head go and took off his mail gloves. He pulled out his dual swords and placed them carefully on the floor. Taking off the many belts he wore, he piled them at the far corner of the table. Finally comfortable, he stood up and went to go sit by Hermione. She simply cried harder and Lancelot, at a loss for words asked her, "Why do you cry? The closer I get the harder you weep. Do you not wish my presence? For if you'd like, I can leave." He said earnestly.

"N—no—no it's not that. It's j—j—just that I thought you were mad at me for something and I hate not knowing why p—people are mad at me be—be—because I can't f—f—fix it." She managed to get out through her tears. Just then, Lancelot felt true regret. Here was a girl who was crying not for herself but for him. He cleared his throat and spoke in his melodious voice.

"I realize this may hurt a bit," and he turned his torso to face Hermione, who began to inch away fearfully, "but I feel you need one." Hermione, thinking it was a slap or a punch, screamed and covered her face. Lancelot leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, rocking back and forth. Hermione calmed down immediately and sighed into the steel rings that were covering his chest. He was right, she _ did_ feel a bit of pinching and she _did_ need a hug.

She sighed again and looked up at him. Lancelot was obviously not mad at her. So what _was_ he mad at? No sane man, whether he was 20 years old or 2,000, got mad at a girl, hugged her, and still looked mad.

"What are you mad at?" she whispered.

"The fact that this brain of mine cannot keep up with yours as it memorizes the intricate characters you call alphabets."

"Oh we are forced to memorize them as kids. It's okay I had trouble too. It took me a long time. I don't expect you memorize them in one night."

"Yes but I'm a warrior! I should be able to do this!" he exclaimed, hugging her a tad bit tighter.

She pushed herself into his armor and, still looking up, whispered, "No one's perfect."

She stared into his deep brown eyes. They were so dark that from far off they looked blacker than Snape's, but getting up close and personal, she could see the color contrast. Hermione inched herself closer and closer to the warrior's face. Lancelot in turn leaned forward till their foreheads were touching. Lancelot gave a sweet smile, one he rarely gave whether it was in the past or present, and whispered ever so lightly, "Thank you." And with that, Hermione kissed him. It was a kiss not full of lust, but of pure love. Hermione kissed him and he kissed her back. The two sat in each others arms, kissing, forgetting all about the party that was happening downstairs.

_**George and Gwen**_

Gwen ran as hard as she could and saw George staring at a doorway.

"Why in God's name did you run off like that?!" she called, annoyed. He didn't respond.

"What are you staring at?!" she asked angrily. Charging up, she read the sign on the door.

_**A gift just for George and Gwen. Have fun you two!**_

Only then did George realize that Gwen arrived. "Oh hey!" he said enthusiastically. His grin faltered at her stony expression. "What?"

"Why did you leave me there in the middle of all those people?" she growled.

"Well…erm...I…don—I don't…know." He stated rather sheepishly. He looked ashamed of himself. "I'm really sorry Firefly. I promise I won't do it again."

Gwen nodded and looked at the doorway. "What does this mean?"

"It means Harry's expecting us to get it on."

"Get what on?"

"Consummate."

"WHAT?!" she screeched.

"Now now lets think about this. I know Harry he doesn't really seem that kind of guy. Besides he said it was a game—"

"A GAME?!" she screamed. Her voice echoed in the chilled night air.

"I don't know. Only one way to find out." And George pushed the doors open t find not a bed but a giant chess board. It was simply enormous. The pawns alone were about as high as his chest. There was a gate on the other side. The two walked calmly through the board but before they could get across, the pawns drew their chocolate swords and crossed them. It looked more like a fence. Gwen looked at George who grinned at said, "It's obvious. We play and win and get to the door!"

The two sat on knights on the white side. Gwen was having trouble containing herself and kept biting the ears off, which grew back over and over again. After three minutes of playing the first piece was taken. George had taken a pawn from the black side and was stunned to see it disappear. Three hours passed and eventually the black king was checkmated. George grinned and got off his horse. He ran forward, but remembered his promise and turned around to see Gwen happily holding two chocolate horse ears.

"Gwen?" George asked. She looked up and saw George standing there awkwardly.

"Yes?" she said in as dignified a manner as she could, given that her mouth was full of white chocolate. George grinned and walked over to her in which time, Gwen chewed hurriedly and finished the chocolate in her mouth. She swallowed hard and looked at him.

"Don't eat too much. I've got a feeling there are plenty more pieces to eat inside." He said, holding out a hand. Gwen ate the horse ear in her left hand and took George's in it, using him to help het get off the horse. Together they triumphantly strode to the gate which swung open to reveal the largest collection of prank items, joke books, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate George and Gwen and ever seen. Immediately then ran over and began to "play" around. Gwen used the boxes to build something like a chair. She sat down on it and pulled another box to herself. George had done more or less the same, except out of boxes of joke books and prank items. He laughed and Gwen laughed with him. Their hilarity mounted when the thrones they built, collapsed, causing them to slide down the mound of items and end up on the floor. George was holding his guts with laughter, and Gwen was rolling on the floor. They stopped laughing when the ceiling panels magically shifted to reveal a fantastic view of the stars. George stopped laughing immediately and pointed. Gwen, who was still laughing looked at him and followed his arm till she saw the stars. Her laughter disappeared as well.

"Whoa." George whispered. He conjured up a blanket and lay it down on the floor. Gwen plopped herself down next to George and waited for him to lie down. Unsure of what to do she thought hard to herself. She really liked his sense of humor. He was somewhat different around her when they were alone. She shrugged and lay down on his left side. George tucked his hands behind his head and sighed with a grin plastered on his face. Gwen looked over and saw him staring at the sky in complete awe. She sighed and reluctantly moved herself closer to him. He gave her a questioning look and she answered, "I couldn't get a proper view."

"Oh." He murmured. Gwen moved even closer and placed her head on the left side of his chest. George took a slow deep breath and smoothed out her silky hair with his left hand. Gwen was about to place a hand on his chest but stopped; her hand hovered inched from his chest. She thought hard about confessing her feelings but didn't know how to go about it.

"I love you." George whispered in a voice that was lighter than a feather.

"What?" she whispered back.

"Nothing." He said a little louder. But Gwen was sure she heard it. Happy that he felt the same, she brought both her hands up to his chest and placed them near her face. George wrapped his left arm around her waist and held her protectively. His right hand found her left and the two tightly gripped hands, staring at the stars.

"I love you." He said confidently, though he was trembling when he said it. Gwen felt her heart soar. She was surprised not to see her heart fly out of her chest. Smiling widely, she leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you too." And she kissed him. George kissed her back and moved so he was holding her with both arms. He pulled her in and hugged her tightly. The two sat there, oblivious to the stars.

"Why were you shaking?" she asked, her head still tucked into his chest. Without moving he muttered something incoherent but Gwen laughed lightly.

"Afraid I'd shoot you with an arrow if I did not feel the same?" she asked playfully.

"How you know?" George asked, feigning horror. The two laughed and kissed. They fell asleep in each others arms surrounded by joke books and chocolate.

_**Arthur and Arthur**_

The King walked side by side with Arthur who was walking rather fast.

"Good sir, could you please travel at a slower pace? I cannot keep up." The King complained.

"And yet you can move faster than an arrow." Arthur laughed. "My King, I have a question."

"Yes?" came the metallic answer.

"Why do you insist on keeping all your armor on and Excalibur with you all the time?"

"Experience has taught me to keep everything with me as there is always a chance of attack. Guinervere is a fool to relinquish her bow and it is unwise for Lancelot to wear so little armor."

"Well your majesty, I think that's being a little harsh on them. So Guinervere left her bow. Perhaps she feels safe here. And okay fine, Lancelot doesn't wear so much armor. Perhaps it stifles him."

The King shook his head and grunted in reply.

"Look I'm going to use a modern phrase now. Chill out king! You're always so worked up about everything. Would it hurt to loosen up a bit hmm?" he asked forcefully.

The king looked at Arthur and removed his helmet. He unclasped his cape and draped it over his arm. There, before Arthur, stood a boy who looked similar to Harry except that Harry was shorter and less bulky. But then that could be the armor. Once they reached the funhouse, the King removed his outer armor and piled it neatly on his cape. He wrapped it up and held the corners of the cape down with stones. Arthur looked at the boy. He was very well built and seemed as if he could command with looks alone. Of course with his paranoia of keeping his armor on would stop that. They entered and immediately Arthur ran around trying to find a certain mirror that would make him appear short but fat. The king however took his time. He explored slowly, but cautiously looking at all the reflections of himself and of Arthur. He burst out laughing when he saw a tall and skinny King Arthur staring back at him from one of the mirrors. Another showed the complete opposite. He was short and very rotund but in a comical manner.

"Good sir you must come and see this!" the King called.

"Arthur found his way over in about thirty minutes given that there were reflections of him all over the place.

"Ah! These are the mirrors I've been looking for!" he laughed aloud.

Arthur and the king laughed at their reflections for a while but the King soon lost interest. He left Arthur laughing at himself and wandered over to a chair. He sat down and sighed in a dejected manner. Arthur heard and stopped laughing. He slowly walked over to the King, who sat with his head in his hands.

"King?"

"I am no King here. Simply Arthur. Like yourself." He said dejectedly. Then Arthur thought he understood. Arthur was so used to having people kneel at his command, he could take the sudden change of equality so easy.

"Well then Arthur. What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"Tell me about Molly." The King said abruptly. Arthur blinked and nodded.

"Well she's a bit hot headed but she never loses her anger unless she knows she's right. She loses her temper most of the time at my son George because he jokes a lot. But she never hits anyone. No she'll scream her brains out but never hit."

"It sounds like a good family you have."

"The best a man could ask for."

"I too long for a family. Yet I am alone. None wish to see me for who I really am."

"Do you bother lifting your visor?" Arthur asked, his voice shaking. The king laughed lightly but it was very forced. "Why don't they see who you really are?"

"They only see the monetary value of marriage with me."

"Well then Arthur I'm not the right man to be speaking to. You know Harry Potter?" the King nodded. "Speak to him. He's really famous and most girls only want him for his money. Talk to him okay?" the King nodded and began to wave his fist around.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"Why does my fist appear normal size yet I appear so overweight?" he said pointing to the mirror.

The two laughed into the night.

Far far away, a man strode through dead trees till he reached a clearing. His face was covered with a hood and his wand was out. He pointed it at the trees nearby and muttered something in a low voice. At once, the trees made a perfect circle. With another wave, more trees slid forward and closed the gaps, making a tightly knit fence of thick trees. A third wave caused the trees in a certain part of the clearing to bend into a doorway. The doorway was a simply arch. A last wave of the man's wand caused an iron wrought gate to appear in the archway. The man conjured a chair and sat down, apparently to wait for someone or something.

Ten minutes later, a group of raggedy looking men arrived at the doorway. However, their robes were made of animal hides, and their armor was an assortment of odd things. A few had pots and pants. Some had steel plates. Still others had crudely wrought steel plated ribcages of other animals. They all opened the iron gate and silently walked in. the man with the hood watched with icy blue-gray eyes, his face still covered.

The strangers gathered in the center of the circle and started a fire. They each cut their arms with sharpened bones and drew a star around the fire. A bag was brought out and the contents were spilled on the floor; bones. Each man picked up a sharpened bone and raised it to the sky. They began to chant something incoherent but the man in the chair didn't even want to know. Suddenly the men stabbed themselves with the bones, each man stabbing himself in a different part of the body. One man stabbed his eye and screeched in pain. Another stabbed his stomach. Still another stabbed straight into his nose. Disgusted, the man with the hood looked away. Once the squelching sounds ended, the man looked back and saw the strangers placing the blood splattered bones in a circle around the star.

"N—n—n—name." a man stuttered. He'd stabbed his own heart and was bleeding to death much faster than the rest.

The man stood up and said clearly while removing his hood, "Morgan Le Fey!"

At once the fire roared and grew in height. The man waited patiently but once the heat grew too unbearable, he sat back down in the chair. After ten minutes, the fire died away and the only light in the area was of the dying embers. Suddenly, a hand shot out of the embers. It rose and rose till the entire arm was out of the coals. The hand bent down and grabbed at the earth till it found a root. Another hand shot out and it, too, grabbed the root. Slowly the arms pulled a body out of the embers. As the body left the portal from whence it came, the embers burned the skin and clothes, setting the body alight. The woman, for her figure said so, seemed undisturbed by this however. She stood up and raised her head. When she did a ball of light appeared out of thin air and hovered over the scene. Her skin was horribly burned. Her muscles could be seen in places but it too was charred. Her face was badly burned as well; her lips were gone, her teeth could be seen, and the skin on her cheeks was still melting. She walked towards the man, ignoring the others and stared at him for a minute.

"You're pure evil. Good." She stated. It sounded like five women chorusing her words. Suddenly her skin started healing. The man looked down at her bare feet and watched as her skin grew back on her toes, on her shins, on her thighs, on her stomach, on her breasts, on her arms and on her face. Her lips grew back also. However her skin looked leathery and wrinkled. He watched in amazement as the skin smoothed out and tanned. He looked at her face and what a face it was! Her nose was perfectly straight. Her eyes, while void of an iris, could still strike a man with lust. Her eyelashes were long and flared out at the outer corners of her eyes. Her red lips were slightly parted and her eyes were half-closed, giving her a sultry look. Her body was likewise as ravishing. It was perfectly toned with muscles etched into her beautifully dark skin.

"I'm sorry who told you I'm pure evil?" the arrogant voice of the man said. It was crisp and light yet commanding and void of any good emotions.

"Your face." Morgana said simply.

"Impossible." The man scoffed. "I have a charm on my face that places shadows over it. You cannot possibly see my face."

"You have white gold hair, blue eyes, a long nose, are sneering at me and think I'm a fake woman sent by the real Morgana here to test you." The woman said. Her voice (or voices?) rang with contempt and boredom, as if she'd done this on many occasions.

Draco slowly lowered his hood. His face was still showing the trademark Malfoy sneer, but his eyes shone with excitement and shock. He was convinced she was the real Morgana. He grinned in a maniac fashion that would put Barty Crouch Jr. to shame, and stepped forward. Driven by his magically induced lust, he placed an arm around Morgana's waist and pulled her perfect body towards him. She decided to play along and placed her hands on his chest and pulled him closer to herself, her lips coming within an inch of his. She blinked her eyes and suddenly she was robed in expensive clothes to match Draco's. The two stepped over the dying bodies and out of the wooden room.

"Now let me show you how powerful I am." Morgana said. She let go of Draco and stepped away. She looked around at the ground and, with a satisfied smirk, casually raised her hand. The skeleton of a dead soldier rose out of the ground. However, he wasn't truly dead. Very little of his flesh remained and what was left behind was gray and black. His eyes were sunken, as if he'd seen all the pain of the world. His cracked and broken armor was still on him. From what he could see, Draco assumed he was some sort of knight. The one plate of steel that was his breastplate shone dully in the pale moonlight. It was cracked along the breadth and many cut marks were visible. Morgana raised her other arms and more soldiers rose out of the ground. They numbered in the thousands and each had a face that was void of emotion.

Turning around, she spread her legs to shoulder width and braced herself. Then with a slight grunt, she called up some more creatures. Draco looked to the sky and saw dragons only that they were too small. A closer look revealed they were a hideous cross between wyverns and griffins. The griffin beak was fused with the Wyverns dragonlike head. The horn's flared back and curved upwards. The wings were enormous but, being dead, they were simply long hollow bones. The ribs were unusually thick however, and Draco found that odd. _ Wouldn't that make it harder for them to fly? It would make them so much heavier._ He thought. The tail was a dragon's tail but at the end were more bones that fanned out. The front legs were eagle claws and the hind legs were those of a wyvern, full of power and muscle.

Still staring at the sky, Draco turned and saw the sky dotted with the same disgusting creatures. Morgana just assembled an undead army in seconds. _And Voldemort thought he was good at rallying Death Eaters._ Draco thought crudely. _Speaking of…_

Draco raised his wand and fired a yellow spark in the air. The spark grew in size the higher it got in the air. It resolved into a giant skull which opened its mouth menacingly. A snake came out of its mouth and wound its way around the skull. A few men instantly arrived on the spot, each wearing a hooded cloak, their faces hidden by masks.

"Brothers. Are you ready?" Was all Draco said. The Death Eaters nodded silently and stood in a line. "Watch this." Draco said to Morgana, who stood by, placing all her weight on one leg.

"_Sapienis geminio!" _he cried, pointing at the first cloaked Death Eater. Immediately, a copy of him popped up out of nowhere. While Draco did the same with the rest, the copies began to reproduce themselves, having already learned the spell. Soon there were enough copies of Death Eaters to match the undead army. Morgana nodded in appreciation. Draco pointed his wand at a rock on the floor. He wordlessly cast another spell causing the rock to turn into a large jet black griffin with blood red eyes. He cast the same Copying spell on it and soon there were as many black griffins as there were undead ones.

The Death Eaters assembled themselves into a legion. Morgana ordered her soldiers to do so as well. The griffins both dead and alive, interspersed and formed their own legion in the sky.

"And now we march." Draco said, already walking forward.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to take control of my army?" Morgana scoffed.

"_Your ___army? It's as much my army as it is yours!" Draco protested.

"Look here child. You are young. You haven't seen a large scale war as I have. Oh I watched your pitiful Battle of Hogwarts and I can tell you now, that it was nothing compared to what battles I have seen. I do not plan to march on the enemy till I am sure I can crush them all. There is only one way to break an army. You break their soul and destroy their spirit. Your Lord Voldemort thought he would live forever and his greatest mistake was to divide himself and place bits of himself behind. You think he was a great wizard well I can tell you he was an arrogant fool!" she spat on the floor, "You are a greater fool to have ever believed in him. What did you think? That you could simply destroy all those people you call Mudbloods? I have studied this phrase and find it most amusing. There would be no Mudbloods of Halfbloods if everyone married their cousins as your family has done for so long. You are nothing but the spawn of incest-obsessed freaks! Unveil you eyes from the disillusion that power is limited. It is not. Only your mind limits your power. You think you cannot conjure a castle yet you have the strength to do so. Why? Because you were born to believe that you have a limit. All your kind do as such. Setting limits." She grinned madly and continued, ignoring the dead look on Draco's face. "I have no mind no conscience. Therefore I am almighty. You are worthless, childish, arrogant, foolhardy, quick to action, and never think about the long term consequences. Which is why you are where you are now…at the feet of Morgana." She said, for Draco, too weak to even stay standing, fell to his knees in front of Morgana.

"Master." he whispered. Morgana made a scathing noise and said, "Do not tell me what I already know."

"You've beaten me at my own game." He stated, still not looking her in the eye.

Morgana kicked him so he fell over on his back, wacked over, placed her foot on his chest and said, "Don't flatter yourself young one. You were never even a player. So you were no competition."

Draco stood up and scowled yet the fear still shone in his eyes. "I still have one more weapon!" he cried.

"By all means bring it forth."

Draco waved his wand at the air and a purple triangle with an eye in the center appeared. He sent this sign into the air. Once it was high enough it began to grow in size till it as even larger than the skull. The eye in the sigh began to swivel around and blink. Morgana stared up at the eye as if daring it to look at her again. Indeed, the eye never looked in her direction again. Suddenly the stars died out. The pale moon still shone, but it, too, was dying. Morgana looked down and saw the ground frosting over. The long blades of grass shriveled up. The live griffins all landed and huddled together. The Death Eaters began to hug themselves and start fires to keep warm but they were quickly extinguished, such was the cold temperature. The Death Eaters cast warming charms on themselves. Then a rattling breath was heard. The entire group turned left and heard something breathing. Then another one was heard. The group darted all around, trying to see through the impenetrable darkness, only hearing the horrible shaking breaths of the invisible monsters around them. Morgana cast some sort of spell that cut through the darkness. A ball of pure light floated out and hovered overhead glimmering lightly but as it got brighter, the group looked around anticipating what was to come. Suddenly, the light flared brightly and there, surrounding them all, were Dementors. These Dementors were in such a large force that they turned out all but the strongest lights. She laughed, a laugh that was full of vengeance, hate, and malice. The birds cawed and flew away, the squirrels and deer and other small animals grazing nearby quickly fled, and even the crickets no longer chirped. The Dementors looked on, unable to see, but surely sensing the emotions of the people nearby.

"Bow to me!" Draco called triumphantly. He had gained their complete respect. Or so he thought…

"Bow to me." Morgana said. It did not sound like a command, simply a statement, but each and every Dementor present, immediately bent its upper body to bow.

"But—they—I was supp—how—" Draco spluttered pathetically.

"Obviously they've seen I'm a better leader, _boy."_ She spat.

"I have one last weapon!" He lied. Morgana could tell he was lying but she decided to play along.

"Oh yes by all means bring this new weapon forward, I'm sure it won't desert your cause to join mine the moment it see's us side by side." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Draco truly looked defeated.

"Join me. Let me lead but walk at my side." Morgana urged him. "I'm sure you want to join me." She whispered, her eyes glowing a deep red color.

"I'm sure I want to join you." Draco repeated with a deadpan stare at her mesmerizing eyes.

"I'm sure you'll never desert me."

"I'm sure I'll never desert you."

"You'll be my husband in this world."

"I'll be your husband in this world."

"You will teach me the ways of this new place."

"I will teach you the ways of this new place."

"Good. Now let us go." She said suddenly, lifting her spell on him. _This isn't the usual Imperius. I can still control whatever I want to say and do. But for some reason I can't seem to leave her side._ Draco thought.

"Shadows! Go! Attack Viroid Castle!"

"How did you know I wanted to attack Viroid Castle?"

"I didn't. I want to attack Viroid Castle too."

And Morgana began to walk away. Her soldiers parted, making a path for her. Draco followed like a dog follows its master.

George and Gwen woke up to find themselves in each others arms.

"Am I dreaming?" George asked, staring at Gwen incredulously. Gwen gave an amused look and flicked a finger into his forehead.

"Ow!" he cried.

"No, you're not dreaming." She said sweetly. "And neither am I, I suppose. "

George stood up and pulled her up with him. They locked hands and walked out of the chessroom. Surprisingly, the pieces guarding the way out didn't "attack". Before Gwen left, she ran and bit the ears off the knight's horse again.

"You're going to get fat eating that much."

"No I won't. I never do, running around following Arthur all over the place."

"You'll get diabetes."

"What's diabetes?"

"A sickness you get from eating too much chocolate." He said, emphasizing the last word. Gwen looked at the chocolate ear she was holding, shrugged, and popped it into her mouth, grinning.

"Well you two how'd you like the game?" a voice said loudly.

Gwen wrenched her hand back from George's and looked about wildly. When she saw it was Harry, she sighed and grasped George's hand again.

"It was great Harry, thanks. Hooked us up you did."

"Did I? Oh…." Harry said sarcastically. Secretly he wished it was him with Juliet in the giant chess room.

"Well take it easy, Harry. We're going to go back to Gwen's room. I still have to show her how to use the nightlights."

"Alright." Harry laughed and continued down the hallway. He met up with Lancelot and Hermione, who were also holding hands. Lancelot looked up and smiled widely at Harry. Hermione, too, grinned.

"Harry look!" she squealed in excitement, holding up her hand which was entwined with Lancelot's.

"I noticed." Harry said, grinning. "Congratulations." He said. He hugged Hermione and shook Lancelot's hand, then walked away with a muttered excuse of getting a special scene in the chess room changed in hi shead. He was now sitting in a library with Juliet, both of them reading a book with her sitting in his lap. He turned the corner to find Arthur Weasley walk out of a room holding hands with his wife, **A/N: (no you pervs they didn't do anything. Just a romantic .)** Molly. Both of them smiled at Harry and Arthur said, "Sorry Harry. I had something romantic planned for Molly and I had to use an empty room. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not!" Harry said, giving a slightly deranged smile. The library scene dissolved into mist and reformed into Harry standing in an empty room with a candlelight dinner set up for Juliet. "Listen I have to get a certain book. I'll see you later. Bye!" he yelled, already running away.

"But the library's the other way!" Arthur called.

"Shortcut!" Harry yelled back and rounded another corner. He felt absolutely sickened by all the love around him. Over and over again, Juliet's face seemed to swim in front of his eyes. "THIS CAN'T GET ANY WORSE CAN IT?!" Harry screamed out.

He stood there, leaning against the wall, breathing hard. Once he was slightly calmer than before, he stood up and began to walk down the hallway only to find Hagrid and Madame Maxime holding hands and walking his way with their gigantic strides.

"Oi 'Arry! It's Madame Maxime see? I was out all day ridin' in her carriage showin' her the hippogriff herd. I hope you don' mind her bein' here."

Harry screamed in frustration and charged straight in between the half-giants, who watched him go as if he'd grown a second head. They watched they corner where he disappeared and stared at it for a few minutes. Then Hagrid said, "Nah he don' mind."

Harry sprinted till he arrived at the second astronomy tower, the one not occupied by Lancelot. Pacing the room, he growled to himself, "Apparently it _ can_ get worse."

_Sykes?_

_On my way, Harry._

Sykes arrived a few mintues later and landed on a telescope. Looking at Harry quizzically he asked, _What's wrong little one?_

_The fact that I have half a mind to go down to Juliet' room, kiss her, and tell her I love her and the fact that if I do go down there, I'll end up spluttering like…ugh I don't even know._

_Lovesick, Harry?_

_I guess Sykes. I don't know. Why is this so hard for me? It makes taking Voldemort down seem like a piece of cake._

_Well Harry the reason you're finding it so hard is because your feelings for her are genuine. This isn't some silly crush, or some fling. _

Harry considered his familiars words. What if it _was_ genuine love? He'd never felt love before. Was it always this painful?

_Yes, Harry, sometimes love can be a very painful thing. But it is the reward at the end of the road you are striving for. _

Harry nodded dumbly and said aloud, "I love her."

Then two companions remained silent for a while Sykes then said, _Will you be alright here on your own?_

_Sykes I'm not a child. I'll be fine. Thank you for listening._

_Of course Harry. Merlin calls me._ And he flew away from the Astronomy Tower. Unbeknowst to Harry, he flew straight to Juliet's room. Hovering in front of her window, he peeked inside and saw her lying on her stomach on her bed, staring dreamily at a picture. He tapped his beak on her window a few times to get her attention. Juliet looked up and saw Sykes outside her window. Smiling, she stood up and let him inside, saying, "Hey Sykes. Something the matter?"

Sykes flew straight to her bed and landed near the picture. He looked at it critically then back up at Juliet, whose eyes widened. _ Is this Harry?_

"No! Now give it back!" she yelled and dove for the bird, who grasped the photo in his claws and flew up out of reach. Juliet kneeled on the bed and whined, "Sykes! Gimme!" When he did not relent, she frowned and said, "Okay fine it's Harry. Now get down here!"

Sykes cawed in laughter and dropped the photo. Juliet caught it in both hands and immediately kissed it. Sykes landed on the bedpost and Juliet turned to him with a bright smile.

"Tell me about him, Sykes. What's Harry like?" she asked anxiously.

_Well he's sweet and young at heart, despite the hardships he's seen. He always tends to keep others safe, even at the cost of his life. He's bold, daring, innocent, and a true Gryffindor. He…_

While Sykes blabbed on, he noticed Juliet's reactions. She went from kneeling on the bed, to lying on her stomach again, to hugging her pillow and staring at the ceiling dreamily, to kissing the photograph of Harry.

"Wow Sykes. He sounds amazing."

_He _ is _ amazing. And I'm sure you'll be happy with him._

"What? Nah he doesn't like me. If he did he would have said something. Instead he always runs away."

_Because he has feelings for you as—_ Sykes faltered, realizing his mistake but continued anyway. _As well. _

"He does?" she asked incredulously.

_I assume so. _

"Oh." Juliet said, clearly disappointed.

_Will you be alright alone? _

"Yeah I'll be fine and dandy. Thanks Sykes."

_Of course. I must go. Merlin calls me._

And Sykes flew off to the other inhabitants of the castle with a plan in mind. Juliet and Harry were beating around the bush for far too long. It was time to face things head on. _Get ready you two. _Sykes thought to himself.


End file.
